Loose Cannons

Bush's new poodle

"French President Nicolas Sarkozy used his first official visit to Washington to extol two centuries of bonds with the US and lay out pro-American positions on the war in Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear dispute ... 'I wish to reconquer the heart of America in a lasting fashion', Sarkozy, who was elected in May, said in a toast to open the black-tie dinner at the White House on November 6. 'When we have stood together we have undertaken and won some of the toughest battles one can imagine.'" — From Bloomberg.com report, November 6, which also noted: "Iraq, the conflict that split the allies four years ago, was rarely spoken of publicly during the visit."

Partner for war

"I have a partner in peace, somebody who has a clear vision, basic values, who is willing to take tough positions to achieve peace." — Emperor George Bush II, November 6, welcoming Sarkozy's fawning.

An indispensable tyrant

"Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told Congress on Wednesday that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is an 'indispensable' ally in the US-led war on terrorism ... The administration's public response to the crisis in Pakistan has been mild and measured ... It stands in sharp contrast to how the administration responded when Myanmar's military regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in September, for instance." — Associated Press, November 8.

From GLW issue 731