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Sarkozy’s Failures Hidden Under a Burka
Controversies surrounding Muslims conveniently distract attention from the French president's unkept promises.
On the Gallic Intifada front, his presidency has already seen another row of riots popping out of the daily Car-B-Qs that lighten up France’s suburban nights. Some sources advance 45,000 torched cars in 2007 alone; the Bastille Day celebrations, just a couple of days ago and just like the previous years, reached an extra level of revolutionary realism through many riots between Codeword “Youth” and the Gendarmes — including 29 mortar attacks (the professional fireworks devices, not the artillery ones — yet) on the police forces, for a reported total of 592 incinerated vehicles and 219 arrests all around the country over a single weekend.
This brings us back to our rebuked niqāb. As non-Muslim discontent grows close to critical thresholds, as Europe’s old school xenophobes begin to surf on the legitimate wave of anti-jihadists, acknowledging their renewed chances to win (back, sometimes) the ears and attention that really matter — those of the silent dissatisfied masses — Sarkozy the Acrobat’s margin of maneuver keeps shrinking.
Two recent events just made his position more uncomfortable:
First, a court in Lille annulled the marriage of a Muslim couple on the ground that the bride was not a virgin. This shocking instance of creeping Shari‘a sparked an uproar that escalated when 150 MEPs petitioned Sarkozy’s Muslim-born — and, perhaps, either still a Muslim or an apostate? — Justice Minister Rachida Dati upon her refusal to condemn the court ruling.
Next, his hosting the head of a terrorist state, Bashar al-Assad, at the Bastille Day parade didn’t go down well at all with a wide range of people, from the leftist NGO Reporters Sans Frontières — whose president, Robert Ménard, and seven of his colleagues were arrested by French police on July 14 for protesting the presence of al-Assad by deploying a sign that read “Assad, predator of press freedom” — to those among the French military who remember their dead in Lebanon.
As a result, what Sarkozy needs the most now, when it comes to anything even remotely connected to Islam, extremism, and terrorism is distraction. The State Council decision, as such rather trivial or at the very least incidental, might very well have been just that. To this seasoned veteran-witness of the hyperpresident, these timely headlines spell much like another script of the Sarko Show.
Call me when Islamic fascists, men and women alike, see their citizenship application forms refused en masse.
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Indomitable specimen of a highly endangered species, the Unwavering Pro-American European, the dissident frogman tries to survive being French in post-1968 France by hunting wild boars, deriding 7th Century Sand Prophets and 21st Century Climate Gurus alike, while occasionally playing his terrorist-mime act for the ballistic instruction of Western news agencies at the dissident frogman (Time To Take Sides)
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5 Comments
1. Roark:Sarkozy is admittedly better than Chirac in many ways, but what gives with his crusade against Ireland? I chalk it up to short mans disease. The Irish want to be independent of the socialist mob at the EU, that is why Ireland voted against the reform treaty. Sarkozy ought to respect and admire Ireland for standing for their nations independence and liberty against the socialist thuggery at the EU. Sarkozy, put on your beret, have a croissant, and drop it!
Jul 17, 2008 - 8:08 am 2. Lynn:“The politically correct view was that only white people can be racist” -from – the lost territories of the Republic.
I had to quote the above because it was so striking to read. I also thought it was a mistake for Sarkozy to weigh in on the Israel-Muslim conflict by stating that the Israels should share Jerusalem. I think he probably meant “divide” but did not have the nerve to state it outright. I also think that Americans are accused of thinking we are the center of the world but in reality we are the distraction for the world. Every time I read that a people from another country are looking closely at their own government I think “good!”. For too long rulers in other places have used outside distraction to take attention from themselves, their incompetency and their failure to fulfill their duty to their fellow countrymen and woman.
Jul 17, 2008 - 8:15 am 3. Sheila:Yeah Roark – Sarkozy has said “in private” that we’re going to have to have another referendum here. As a result of the EU shenanigans, a lot of “yes” voters are coming over to the Dark Side. Sarkozy has made no friends here (though we all love Carla!)
Jul 17, 2008 - 9:36 am 4. jenna:Lynn, ditto what you said, and I might add: America’s leaders have also used the distraction device quite readily to keep the constituents in a dither over something other than what they really should be paying attention to.
The graceful art of distraction: practiced by magicians, con men, thieves, and politicians since time immemorial.
Jul 18, 2008 - 9:29 am 5. David:I live in a village of 2,500 to 3,000 people outside a major French city and I sometimes pass Muslims in full traditional gab, including one of my neighbours.
Sarkozy is better than Chirac, but thats not saying much. As far as I can see he is just like Chirac, Chirac promised to reform the system, but then spent his time doing all he can to stay in power, Sarkozy is doing the same and its just not enough. Fact is all I can see is a load of broken promises, and the Lisbon Treaty agreement following the referendum rejection of the European Constitution was shameful, even though he had campaigned on that, what choice did people have, Socialists who would vote through the EU or Sarkozy, uuuuggggh, I was serioualy disappointed in him.
OK so immigration is a bit tougher, but take this example, some immigrants burnt down a new holding area, what happened to them, were they shipped out as arsonists en masse, nope, just sent to other centres. All we see is weakness, weakness and weakness.
France is a joke, the UK is a joke the EU is a sick joke, what a mess.
Jul 21, 2008 - 10:40 am