A New Romance Between US And France

from the March 14, 2006 edition -
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0314/p03s02-usfp.html

A new romance between US and France

The two countries are cooperating on Iran, Lebanon, and the global use of
nuclear power.

By Howard LaFranchi | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

"Forget "freedom fries," America's favorite food is proudly accompanied by
French fries once again. Drop the boycott of French brie and Perrier, that's
so 2003 geopolitics. And the next time you hear "Jacques Chirac," replace
the sneer with a smile.

The United States' oldest ally is back in America's good graces - even, and
perhaps especially, at the White House.

Indeed, as the United Nations Security Council takes up Iran's nuclear
program this week, the US and France will be standing side by side in
opposition to any leniency for the Tehran regime, a far cry from the bitter
antagonism over Iraq that bloomed in the same venue three years ago.

Today, relations improved to the point where some French officials even
speak of a "love affair" between the two old allies. Citing longstanding and
effective coordination on international terrorism, they say cooperation
extends to a growing list of issues, ranging from Iran and Lebanon to global
expansion of the use of nuclear power as a way to cut the use of fossil
fuels.

Sounding a bit more Gaullist, France's ambassador to the United States,
Jean-David Levitte, speaks of "a very constructive relationship in which we
address a number of important issues with converging views to reach common
objectives."

That reflects the interests-based diplomacy that is driving both capitals as
they bury the past to draw closer, experts say.

"Cardinal Richelieu invented realpolitik, and what we see the French doing
is playing the diplomatic game based on their interests and on how things in
today's world can get done," says John Hulsman, fellow in European issues at
the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Whereas the French once counted on the European Union as their vehicle to
maintain global power status, he adds, "They see the EU mattering less and
less. That's not going to be their ticket to diplomatic relevance and they
know it, so they've reassessed relations with the sole superpower."

The result has been surprisingly like-minded approaches to Iran and Lebanon.
Some observers claim the US and France have fallen into playing a classic
good-cop-bad-cop duo in relations with Iran or with Syria over Lebanon.

But Mr. Hulsman says that in some ways the French have been tougher on Iran
than the US - French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has openly
accused the Iranians of lying about their nuclear intentions. Hulsman
describes the approach to Lebanon more as a "hand-in-glove" operation, with
France teaming its longer history and deeper contacts there with America's
diplomatic heft.

The Franco-American warming has its roots in President Bush's decision to
make 2005 his "year of diplomacy" and to repair useful alliances ruptured by
the war in Iraq. When Bush traveled to Europe in February 2005, he visited
NATO and the European Union, but the first item on his agenda was a private
dinner with Mr. Chirac.

At that dinner, both leaders made a conscious decision to put the Iraq
falling-out behind them, officials from both countries say. Bush might still
have a special relationship with Britain's Tony Blair, but the White House
wagered that restored ties to France would be fruitful internationally.

Since then, the national security advisers of both leaders - Stephen Hadley
for Bush and Maurice Gourdault-Montagne for Chirac - have met regularly,
with no-daylight positions on key international issues being one result.

Still, some French experts say that, temptations to flirt with clever
conclusions about a "springtime in Paris and Washington" aside, no one
should exaggerate the warmer ties or rule out potentially choppy patches on
the horizon.

"Yes, we're getting on very well at the moment, but that doesn't mean basic
differences won't resurface," says Guillaume Parmentier, director of the
French Center on the United States in Paris. For right now any "love affair"
metaphors should be replaced with dispassionate but more realistic imagery
of mutual interests, he says.

"I don't think the [Bush-Chirac] relationship is particularly warm," says
Mr. Parmentier, "but the fact is that the administration in Washington is
not at all in the same place in terms of its diplomatic approach as it was"
in the first term. "The Americans realize that France has useful experience
in some of the moment's important places," he adds, "and for us it makes no
sense not to work with the Americans when we can."

Despite what looks like seeing eye-to-eye on Iran right now, the French
expert says that could quickly change. "If the Bush administration talks
about sanctions and isolating Iran, I don't think you'll see France going
for that," Parmentier says. "We see a very unpopular leadership [in Tehran]
that we don't want to provide with a scapegoat for its difficulties. The US
has tried that for a long time with Cuba and Castro," he adds, "and it
doesn't work."

That may be, but Hulsman says Iran's nuclear ambitions pose a challenge to
France's global leadership role, explaining why to this point it is reading
off the same page as Washington.

"The French have always invoked the nuclear card as a symbol of and indeed a
tangible factor in their place as a global power," he says. "But if the club
of nuclear powers continues to grow it would mean a dilution of French
power, and they don't want that."

/

AAah morrow we needed that

"Gregory Morrow"
gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net a écrit dans le
message de news: et...

from the March 14, 2006 edition -
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0314/p03s02-usfp.html

A new romance between US and France

The two countries are cooperating on Iran, Lebanon, and the global use of
nuclear power.

By Howard LaFranchi | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

"Forget "freedom fries," America's favorite food is proudly accompanied by
French fries once again. Drop the boycott of French brie and Perrier,
that's
so 2003 geopolitics. And the next time you hear "Jacques Chirac," replace
the sneer with a smile.

The United States' oldest ally is back in America's good graces - even,
and
perhaps especially, at the White House.

Indeed, as the United Nations Security Council takes up Iran's nuclear
program this week, the US and France will be standing side by side in
opposition to any leniency for the Tehran regime, a far cry from the
bitter
antagonism over Iraq that bloomed in the same venue three years ago.

Today, relations improved to the point where some French officials even
speak of a "love affair" between the two old allies. Citing longstanding
and
effective coordination on international terrorism, they say cooperation
extends to a growing list of issues, ranging from Iran and Lebanon to
global
expansion of the use of nuclear power as a way to cut the use of fossil
fuels.

Sounding a bit more Gaullist, France's ambassador to the United States,
Jean-David Levitte, speaks of "a very constructive relationship in which
we
address a number of important issues with converging views to reach common
objectives."

That reflects the interests-based diplomacy that is driving both capitals
as
they bury the past to draw closer, experts say.

"Cardinal Richelieu invented realpolitik, and what we see the French doing
is playing the diplomatic game based on their interests and on how things
in
today's world can get done," says John Hulsman, fellow in European issues
at
the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Whereas the French once counted on the European Union as their vehicle to
maintain global power status, he adds, "They see the EU mattering less and
less. That's not going to be their ticket to diplomatic relevance and they
know it, so they've reassessed relations with the sole superpower."

The result has been surprisingly like-minded approaches to Iran and
Lebanon.
Some observers claim the US and France have fallen into playing a classic
good-cop-bad-cop duo in relations with Iran or with Syria over Lebanon.

But Mr. Hulsman says that in some ways the French have been tougher on
Iran
than the US - French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has openly
accused the Iranians of lying about their nuclear intentions. Hulsman
describes the approach to Lebanon more as a "hand-in-glove" operation,
with
France teaming its longer history and deeper contacts there with America's
diplomatic heft.

The Franco-American warming has its roots in President Bush's decision to
make 2005 his "year of diplomacy" and to repair useful alliances ruptured
by
the war in Iraq. When Bush traveled to Europe in February 2005, he visited
NATO and the European Union, but the first item on his agenda was a
private
dinner with Mr. Chirac.

At that dinner, both leaders made a conscious decision to put the Iraq
falling-out behind them, officials from both countries say. Bush might
still
have a special relationship with Britain's Tony Blair, but the White House
wagered that restored ties to France would be fruitful internationally.

Since then, the national security advisers of both leaders - Stephen
Hadley
for Bush and Maurice Gourdault-Montagne for Chirac - have met regularly,
with no-daylight positions on key international issues being one result.

Still, some French experts say that, temptations to flirt with clever
conclusions about a "springtime in Paris and Washington" aside, no one
should exaggerate the warmer ties or rule out potentially choppy patches
on
the horizon.

"Yes, we're getting on very well at the moment, but that doesn't mean
basic
differences won't resurface," says Guillaume Parmentier, director of the
French Center on the United States in Paris. For right now any "love
affair"
metaphors should be replaced with dispassionate but more realistic imagery
of mutual interests, he says.

"I don't think the [Bush-Chirac] relationship is particularly warm," says
Mr. Parmentier, "but the fact is that the administration in Washington is
not at all in the same place in terms of its diplomatic approach as it
was"
in the first term. "The Americans realize that France has useful
experience
in some of the moment's important places," he adds, "and for us it makes
no
sense not to work with the Americans when we can."

Despite what looks like seeing eye-to-eye on Iran right now, the French
expert says that could quickly change. "If the Bush administration talks
about sanctions and isolating Iran, I don't think you'll see France going
for that," Parmentier says. "We see a very unpopular leadership [in
Tehran]
that we don't want to provide with a scapegoat for its difficulties. The
US
has tried that for a long time with Cuba and Castro," he adds, "and it
doesn't work."

That may be, but Hulsman says Iran's nuclear ambitions pose a challenge to
France's global leadership role, explaining why to this point it is
reading
off the same page as Washington.

"The French have always invoked the nuclear card as a symbol of and indeed
a
tangible factor in their place as a global power," he says. "But if the
club
of nuclear powers continues to grow it would mean a dilution of French
power, and they don't want that."

/

gRunge wrote:

AAah morrow we needed that


It IS springtime and so "LOVE is in the air", gRunge...!!!

--
Best
Greg





"Gregory Morrow"
gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net a écrit dans le
message de news: et...

from the March 14, 2006 edition -
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0314/p03s02-usfp.html

A new romance between US and France

The two countries are cooperating on Iran, Lebanon, and the global use of
nuclear power.

By Howard LaFranchi | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

"Forget "freedom fries," America's favorite food is proudly accompaniedby
French fries once again. Drop the boycott of French brie and Perrier,
that's
so 2003 geopolitics. And the next time you hear "Jacques Chirac," replace
the sneer with a smile.

The United States' oldest ally is back in America's good graces - even,
and
perhaps especially, at the White House.

Indeed, as the United Nations Security Council takes up Iran's nuclear
program this week, the US and France will be standing side by side in
opposition to any leniency for the Tehran regime, a far cry from the
bitter
antagonism over Iraq that bloomed in the same venue three years ago.

Today, relations improved to the point where some French officials even
speak of a "love affair" between the two old allies. Citing longstanding
and
effective coordination on international terrorism, they say cooperation
extends to a growing list of issues, ranging from Iran and Lebanon to
global
expansion of the use of nuclear power as a way to cut the use of fossil
fuels.

Sounding a bit more Gaullist, France's ambassador to the United States,
Jean-David Levitte, speaks of "a very constructive relationship in which
we
address a number of important issues with converging views to reach common
objectives."

That reflects the interests-based diplomacy that is driving both capitals
as
they bury the past to draw closer, experts say.

"Cardinal Richelieu invented realpolitik, and what we see the French doing
is playing the diplomatic game based on their interests and on how things
in
today's world can get done," says John Hulsman, fellow in European issues
at
the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Whereas the French once counted on the European Union as their vehicle to
maintain global power status, he adds, "They see the EU mattering less and
less. That's not going to be their ticket to diplomatic relevance and they
know it, so they've reassessed relations with the sole superpower."

The result has been surprisingly like-minded approaches to Iran and
Lebanon.
Some observers claim the US and France have fallen into playing a classic
good-cop-bad-cop duo in relations with Iran or with Syria over Lebanon.

But Mr. Hulsman says that in some ways the French have been tougher on
Iran
than the US - French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has openly
accused the Iranians of lying about their nuclear intentions. Hulsman
describes the approach to Lebanon more as a "hand-in-glove" operation,
with
France teaming its longer history and deeper contacts there with America's
diplomatic heft.

The Franco-American warming has its roots in President Bush's decision to
make 2005 his "year of diplomacy" and to repair useful alliances ruptured
by
the war in Iraq. When Bush traveled to Europe in February 2005, he visited
NATO and the European Union, but the first item on his agenda was a
private
dinner with Mr. Chirac.

At that dinner, both leaders made a conscious decision to put the Iraq
falling-out behind them, officials from both countries say. Bush might
still
have a special relationship with Britain's Tony Blair, but the White House
wagered that restored ties to France would be fruitful internationally.

Since then, the national security advisers of both leaders - Stephen
Hadley
for Bush and Maurice Gourdault-Montagne for Chirac - have met regularly,
with no-daylight positions on key international issues being one result.

Still, some French experts say that, temptations to flirt with clever
conclusions about a "springtime in Paris and Washington" aside, no one
should exaggerate the warmer ties or rule out potentially choppy patches
on
the horizon.

"Yes, we're getting on very well at the moment, but that doesn't mean
basic
differences won't resurface," says Guillaume Parmentier, director of the
French Center on the United States in Paris. For right now any "love
affair"
metaphors should be replaced with dispassionate but more realistic imagery
of mutual interests, he says.

"I don't think the [Bush-Chirac] relationship is particularly warm," says
Mr. Parmentier, "but the fact is that the administration in Washington is
not at all in the same place in terms of its diplomatic approach as it
was"
in the first term. "The Americans realize that France has useful
experience
in some of the moment's important places," he adds, "and for us it makes
no
sense not to work with the Americans when we can."

Despite what looks like seeing eye-to-eye on Iran right now, the French
expert says that could quickly change. "If the Bush administration talks
about sanctions and isolating Iran, I don't think you'll see France going
for that," Parmentier says. "We see a very unpopular leadership [in
Tehran]
that we don't want to provide with a scapegoat for its difficulties. The
US
has tried that for a long time with Cuba and Castro," he adds, "and it
doesn't work."

That may be, but Hulsman says Iran's nuclear ambitions pose a challengeto
France's global leadership role, explaining why to this point it is
reading
off the same page as Washington.

"The French have always invoked the nuclear card as a symbol of and indeed
a
tangible factor in their place as a global power," he says. "But if the
club
of nuclear powers continues to grow it would mean a dilution of French
power, and they don't want that."

/

On 19 Mar 2006 13:35:39 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
wrote:


gRunge wrote:

AAah morrow we needed that


It IS springtime and so "LOVE is in the air", gRunge...!!!

Lock up your dogs, the lone DeRunger is on the loose.