|
Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Rosner's Domain: Sarkozy's big mouth is a double-edged swordPosted by SHMUEL ROSNER
Comments: 36      Follow Rosner's Domain on Twitter!!! While Israel is right to be outraged by French President Nicolas Sarkozy's recent comments ("You need to get rid of this man," he reportedly said to PM Netanyahu, referring to FM Avigdor Lieberman) - it is worth noting that Sarkozy's big-mouthing was not always seen in Jerusalem as such nuisance. In fact, not long ago, I heard Israeli government officials making use of Sarkozy's no-less outrageous comments, to demonstrate that Israel's frustrations with US' President Barack Obama are shared by other world leaders. It was just 2-3 months ago, when the press reported that the French President bad mouthed a score of world leaders, Obama included: Sarkozy had delivered some astonishingly unflattering comments about several foreign officials - including American President Barack Obama. During a lunch with a group of French legislators Wednesday, Sarkozy reportedly described Obama as inexperienced, ill-prepared by advisers, and thus far "not always up to standard on decision-making and efficiency." And those turned out to be relatively kind words. Sarkozy said German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been reluctantly forced by economic realities to copy his own policies for dealing with the recession. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, said the French President, was simply "not very clever."This wasn't the first time in which Israelis were using Sarkozy's criticism of Obama's on Iran by way of warning against his "engagement" policy. Even before Obama was elected, Israeli officials were leaking similar reports: [A]ccording to a senior Israeli government source, the reports reaching Israel indicate that Sarkozy views the Democratic candidate's stance on Iran as "utterly immature" and comprised of "formulations empty of all content."My point: 1. Sarkozy should be condemned for his comments. 2. But don't get over-excitedly outraged - Sarkozy is Israel's friend, not an enemy. 3. And we once used to love him for being honest about other things. 4. Lieberman should be pleased: he just joined a very long line of established and respected world leaders offended by the Frenchman (Obama, Merkel, Zapatero). 5. Count the seconds: It will not take long for Israeli opposition speakers to defend Sarkozy's remarks - arguing that he was actually right to say what he said.
1 | Jon, Berkeley, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Under Sarkozy, France has been much more supportive of Israel. Moreover, Sarkozy is correct. Lieberman is bad for Israel, and is ill-suited to the position of foregin minister. Lieberman's extremist views make it much easier for Israel's enemies to demonize Israel. Israel should take Sarkozy's advice and dump Lieberman.
2 | Chris USA, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Okay you make a good point: condemnation by Sarkozy means Lieberman is top notch. Since Sarkozy likes Livin that must mean she's terrible then?
3 | Menachem, Israel, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
#1There is nothing "extremist" about Lieberman whose opinions are both legitimate and mainstream in Israel. The real extremism has moved into the White House so you should get rid of the guy in Washington.
4 | Chris USA, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Sarkozy is an "Ant-twerp", a british dandy, and a posterchild for French mediocrity. And that's just his good points! The funny part is that if you give enough rope he'll probably hang himself ... :)
5 | MK Oslo, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
"There is nothing "extremist" about LePen whose opinions are both legitimate and mainstream in France."
Right. Never mind what the rest of the world think, he is a Israeli racist and so must be acknowledged.
6 | Shel Zahav in Jerusalem, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Unlike the US president, LIeberman is highly qualified for his position. Lieberman built a party and worked in the knesset for years before assuming his first cabinet post. He has had several. Unlike the US President for whom the presidency is a display of affirmative action as he continues to make a fool of himself and his office.
7 | Yehoshua, Modi'in, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
I am really appaled by the fact that no one has mentioned, what is obvious to me: whose interest was it to leak this bit of an "informal" talk? The Prime Minister's Office demanded that the contents remain confidential. Perhaps in Israeli language, when you tell someone not to tell anyone, it really means :"go on spead it out".
This news was headlines of ISRAEL HAYOM, Sheldon Edelson's paper, very supportive of Bibi, and may reveal, that this publicity was wanted by Bibi to move Yvette aside (he has a court case coming), and call Tsipi in ?!?
8 | Jeremy, Jerusalem, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
One more serious issue is who leaked the story? That is the true scandal.
9 | Ari, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
'Sarkozy should be condemned'??? Spoken like a true Obama lover. Rosner, wake-up! Obama's going to make Jimmy Carter look good before he's through.
10 | Mike Feldman, Canada, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
jon, I agree with Menachem. it is a mistake for Israel to sanitise its political leaders for foreign consumption. No Israeli should be too Israeli to serve in an important post. Besides, Netanyahu. Barak, Livni et al are excoriated by someone nearly every day. As for Sarkozy, he's a colourful dude with no shortage of opinions. He shouts from the mouth--not much chance he has any hidden adgenda, just an inflated ego; Makes a good counter=point to Obama
11 | Mark N.Y.C., Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Obama and Zapataro distinguished? that must be a Joke.The only distinguished one amongst those Three is Chancellor Merkel
12 | Mark N.Y.C., Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Obama and Zapataro distinguished? that must be a Joke.The only distinguished one amongst those Three is Chancellor Merkel
13 | Norm, Florida, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
I agree with, that nobody has a right to suggest to Israel's Prime Minister which member of the cabinet he has to fire and which one to hire. I further agree, that Lieberman is a democraticly elected official who's
opinions are i no way extreme. Lieberman has without doubt a place in Israels cabinet. But I agree with
Sarkozy, that he is unsuitable to be foreign minister. It's probably the only job in the cabinet, he shouldn't
have.
14 | andy-london, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
I'll say one thing for sarkozy, he had the guts to say he wants the burqa banned in france which is more than a lot of the other countries who are too spineless to challenge the P.c brigade,but there's a lot of unrest now in europe through the leaders giving in to the muslims having too much power in our nation,and I'm glad it's GOING to be adressed.Netanyahu is a STRONG leader and was right to stand by leiberman who also is no pushover for any nation telling them what to do with THEIR country.Israel will be there long after the arabs are gone.YES SIR
15 | Tzvi/amerikkka, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
google carlo bruni+naked pictures to see what sarkozy sees in his bedroom at night...and most european men of power have also seen in their bedrooms at 1 time or another
16 | Yehiel, Teaneck,NJ, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
GET RID OF OBAMA! This wimp is making a mockery out of the presidency. He has no tact, no experience. no finesse and is totaly ignorant of Mid-East politics. LEIBERMAN has a much better track record. SARKOZY, WAKE UP!
17 | Randy, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Yehiel, Obama is the President of the United states of America. He was elected by the American people, He is answerable to the American people, not to international Talmudic Jewish circles.
He will not allow international bankers to control our country.
No more American blood for Israel.
18 | hater of terror, Tel Aviv, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Lieberman is a combination of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
He is a viruletn terrorist.
19 | Rob, Bloomington, Indiana, Tuesday Jun 30, 2009
Lieberman was democratically elected. So was Adolph Hitler.
Tweedledee tweedledum
20 | Mike Feldman, Canada, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Randy-you're right. Obama will give control of your country to the trade unions.
21 | Ben, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Jimmy Carter was democratically elected, so was Obama. Tweedledum, tweedledee.
22 | andy-london, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
#18 and 19 to bad on you, leiberman stays whether you like it or not.I think you lot of lefties are mad because at last Israel's got strong leaders that wont bend to you lot.At least he stands up for Israel unlike obama as he only stands for himself,not america.He's a RIGHT rev WRIGHT prodigy and the nation of islam,but never mind he wont last.
23 | Mike Stern, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Lieberman isn't a friend of Sarkozy,
Lieber Lieberman - I find him much more cosy.
24 | Stan Goodman - Israel, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Once you lay a supermodel, you think you can give everybody advice.
25 | Sharona, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
#18 What??
Never heard him say or do anything to advocate terrorism. As far as anyone knows he hasn't killed anyone. As opposed to Hitler and Stalin who killed millions. Can anyone be as ignorant as you?
26 | GEORGE TORONTO. CANADA, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
yes, Sarkozy should be condemned for his comments! he is not a good friend of ISRAEL. FRANCE makes good bussines with iran.and the arab countries as well !! we should not trust him!
27 | Jake USA, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
My guess is that Sarkozy was speaking on behalf of the cowards in Obama's administration. They surely can't stand Lieberman, and maybe Sarkozy doesn't like him either, but regardless, it's Hillary Clinton who benefits most if Bibi "gets rid" of Lieberman. Whining & nitpicking (Hillary's 2 favorite tactics) won't get you anywhere with a guy like Lieberman. Bibi is a pragmatist who knows full well that this is nothing more than politics, and he responded to it correctly.
28 | Jake USA, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Randy, stop making a fool out of yourself. You think that "the bankers" are in the tank with Israel? (what a laugh!!!) If anything "the bankers" are in the tank with the Obama administration and their favorite regime, the UN -- two entities that both propagate the MYTH of Palestinian Nationalism, and are perpetuating the destruction of Israel via a two-state "solution". Seriously man, get a clue!
29 | Michael, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Sarkozi looks and acts like Louis de Funes. Except de Funes was a great French comedian, whereas Sarko missed his calling.
30 | Randy, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Jake, Palestinians have evey right to get a state, completey independent. American will not allow Israel and the Jews to carry out a holocaust against the Palestinian people.
We owe it to ourselves and to our national dignity and humanity to prevent another holocaust from taking place.
I know people like Jake would love to see six million Muslims exterminated...Zionist Jews love genocides and holocausts. This is part of their collective mindset that goes back to biblical times.
This is why God set Obama to save these potential victims of Jewish Nazism.
31 | Russian citizen, Jerusalem, Wednesday Jul 01, 2009
Sharona, Lieberman called for dropping nuclear bombs on Gaza. He is worse then Hitler.
You claim he didn't kill any one...Hitler also didn't call any one with his hands..Nor did stalin.
By the way did you go to High school?
32 | Margie, Thursday Jul 02, 2009
He's right about Obama and Iran.
33 | Joseph USA, Thursday Jul 02, 2009
# 11 Mark, I guess you don't like Obama, Zapatero and Markel because you think they are not 100% pro Israeli. Right? Well, there many more world leaders that have "scolded" israeli's behavior vis a vis the Palestinian. Sorry that you cannot silence the whole world, but keep trying. One never knows!
34 | Jake USA, Thursday Jul 02, 2009
Randy, Palestinian Arabs lost that right in 1948. (1) The name "Palestinian" didn't refer to state-less Arabs until after "Palestine" was dissolved. (2) Jews want genocide? Arabs were packing their bags in 1967, and guess who told them to stay... it was the Jews! If anything, the Israeli government is trying to integrate these people; genocide would be what Hamas is calling for (extermination of all Jews from "Palestine"). Indigenous Arabs sided with the enemy in 1948 announcing that they were part of a larger Arab nation determined to destroy Israel. Once your all-in, you either win or lose.
35 | Mike Fldman, Canada, Thursday Jul 02, 2009
Randy. Jake asked you to stop making a fool of yourself. And then what did you do? You made a bigger fool of yourself. Palestnians should get their own state. Completely independent, not bloody likely, and nobody including the neighbouring Aab counties and/or Obama will push for it. America is not needed to prevent the Israelis committing another Holocast. (Know you love that word). Your statements about Zionist Jews and their love of genocides and Holocast are delusional. You saved Nazism as your last word, of course. Obama will be lucky to save his presidency. But humanity does not depend on him.
36 | Esav Benyamin U*S*A, Friday Jul 03, 2009
Gently, gently. President Sarkozy is the best friend Israel has found among French leaders in many years. That he feels comfortable discussing intricate questions of leadership and diplomacy with an allied nation's leader is a very good sign. You cannot take a sound bite or a leak and construct a policy out of it. -- Yidn! Stop throwing rocks at our friends! We have enough enemies to fight off! -- And you enemies! Go back to Stromfront and stop distracting our discussions here. No one believes your antisemitic lies, no one, not even you yourselves. Disgraceful.
|
 |
Search this blog
The Israel Factor, Sep. 2009: Obama is rapidly losing favor with panel of Israeli experts
Tags:
Blogroll |
Post your own comment
