Jacques Chirac Career Highlights
Anne Applebaum sums up Jacques Chirac’s career:
One of consistent scorn for the Anglo-American world in general and the English language in particular, of suspicion of Central Europe and profound disinterest in the wave of democratic transformation that swept the world in the 1980s and 1990s, of preference for the Arab and African dictators who had been, and remained, clients of France. In his later years, Chirac constantly searched, in almost all international conflicts, for novel ways of opposing the United States. All along, he did his best to protect France from the rapidly changing global economy.
About right.
Im not sure how different Chirac is from Bush, if this is the criteria:
“consistent scorn for the Anglo-American world in general and the English language in particular”
Bush’s general stance towards the major EU powers (save Britain) is best characterized as scornful. The language issue is reflected in Bush’s embarassing retort to David Gregory for asking Chirac a question in French during their joint press conference.
Change ‘clients of France’ to ‘clients of US’ and there is no difference between Chirac and Bush.
Change “united States” to “European Union” and you have Bush’s stance.
Does anyone remember Bush’s capitulation on imported steel? His propping up of farm subsidies? His insistence on keeping the tariff on ethanol imports?