From Reuters:
France said on Monday it was too early to seek sanctions against Syria, whose officials have been implicated by a U.N. report in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
The U.N. Security Council meets on Tuesday to discuss the report, and Paris said the body should demand Damascus cooperate fully with the U.N. inquiry that ends in mid December.
Tens of thousands of Syrians took part in state-sponsored rallies to protest at last week’s report that said the killing in February “could not have been taken without the approval of top-ranked Syrian security officials.”
Britain said on Friday the council would consider sanctions but acknowledged it would be hard to win consensus.
The United States has also demanded action, but France, which has a veto on the council, said it would not consider sanctions until the end of the probe.
“We have here an opportunity to do justice with an independent inquiry. Let’s go to the end … if we need to make it longer, let’s do it, and afterwards lets see what the consequences should be, including on the question… of sanctions,” Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said.
France was the former colonial power in Lebanon and Syria.
Is there an embattled dictator the French aren’t willing to provide cover for?
Wonder what kind of dirt Assad has on Chirac and co. Who knows—maybe there’s an Oil for Cedar scandal somewhere over the horizon.
(h/t Daniel McKivergan)
Wait, the German prosecutor who filed the report isn’t part of this independant investigation? Unbelievable.
DÉSIRENT ARDEMMENT DE PHASE LE DICTATEUR LOVERS!!!
Is there an embattled dictator the French aren’t willing to provide cover for?
Nah. They still feel bad about what happened to Adolf back in ‘45.
Isn’t that a thread killer?
THREAD KILLER!
If this is anything go by I’d say that France has come down pretty squarely on the side of dictators. I’m not sure what countries it’s modeled on either, but I’m pretty sure one of them has the initials U and S. Between that and their new naval exercises with the Chinese this year it seems pretty clear where the French see themselves standing.
Both Lebanon and Syria were part of the French League of Nations mandate. France wants to be seen as the one taking the lead on this. I have no problem if Chanticleer wants the glory, as long as he understands that it is to be done on our schedule. It’s more humiliating that way, letting them do that so in the dark hours of the night they can lie awake, torturing themselves with the realization that the Yankee condescended to let them lead, out of pity, not out of necessity.
SeanH,
The three words that the article you linked to prompted me to think were “Make My Day”, delivered in that gravely Clint Eastwood voice.
I had pretty much the same thought, RC.
En raison du HYPOCRISY!
Jeff:
What’s the UN? Are they some kinda social club?
What’s the UN? Are they some kinda social club?
Kinda. Their club has lots of perks (stealing tons of cash and ‘french’ benefits from the local children)and you pay the dues (kickbacks) out of what you steal!
It’s pretty sweet work. If you have no morals and like taking money from totalitarian dictators to enable them in enslaving “their people”.
Of course, if you get in trouble you’re on your own.
Hmm. I thought they pick the colors for the senior proms at madrassas and re-education camps.
Ever wonder why so many of our military terms come from French? Nah, me neither.
I guess the French are still waiting to find out what really happened to the Little Terrorist Who Did Not Die of AIDS.
Also, the Big Greedy Financial Interests That We Don’t Know About Yet But That Are Going To Explain It All To Us have not yet been exposed.
But you know they’re there.
tw: interest. What’s the interest on 3 billion dollars?
Iraq owed France a great deal of money in state-financed arms deals. What’s the chance that Syria is in the same boat?
If boy Assad is overthrown, is there any chance that France would collect on those debts?
Bon post, mon ami. Je trouve votre blog tres drole et interessant. J’ai un blog anti-francais aussi!
S’il vous plait, visitez-le lorsque vous avez l’opportunite.
Half Canadian:
The Exocets that wrecked the USS Stark were from an Iraqi Super Etandard. Two guesses where those came from…
Give me a minute…I’m still thinking. Um, nope, I cannot think of a dictator the French won’t shield.
It’s because of the tahini!
Turing word: industry, as in hmmm…