Pat Dollard

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UPDATE:

Those who carried this over the weekend were aware that the French news agency(ies) were less than accommodating in translation and background on this.

Given this man’s recent political and diplomatic laziness and gaffes, and his coddling of those who were not friendly with the previous Administration or this country for the last eight years, it is not a stretch to expect any more or less of him.

Now that the “rightwing” blogs have all grabbed on this, thanks to French revenge for … I dunno, renaming “French fries” or blowing up their f***ing beyond antiquated buildings in order to kill or drive out the Nazi rats in WWII … the leftist French news agencies that this particular story was picked up from thought they would shrug off requests to properly translate in context, and just let us Yanks chew on the raw meat … I imagine.

Anyhow, Hotair confirms this French rudeness:

Le Figaro resolutely refuses to provide an English language version of their journal; c’est une chose Francaise. They originally reported, via No Parasan [ ... ]

My only satisfaction comes in the knowledge that their automobiles burn in their streets on a nightly basis, and soon their unshaven wimmins will be in burkas …

Look, it’s not like the f***ing Newsweek-Koran-flushed-down-the-Gitmo-toilet story. Fact is, this man feels the need to undercut the current French President to reach out to the one with no power in order to either covertly satisfy his agenda in the world … or simply to snub the current French Prez who supported George Bush and our nation’s strength and commitment … and who also called Obama “immature” …

Anyhow, below is the Monday Morning quarterbacking by a staff member who speaks/reads French at the Christian Science Monitor:

CSM:

[ ... ]

Obama was merely replying to a Chirac letter who was writing him as the head of his foundation — the Jacques Chirac Foundation for sustainable development and cultural dialogue.

The foundation is promoting access to water and medicines in west Africa, combating deforestation in the Congo Basin, and trying to save dying languages in Polynesia, according to a spokesman who helped set up the foundation.

[ ... ]

Le Figaro did opine in its article that “in using the word ‘peace,’ Obama was offering an implicit homage to the former French president who had opposed the Iraq war.”

But other French news organizations confirmed with Chirac’s entourage that they believed the reference was not in regards to the Iraq war but to Chirac’s current work as head of the foundation.

[ ... ]

Me: Yeah, and I am certain there would be no problems with Pres. Sarkozy bypassing Obama and writing Pres. Bush regarding ANYTHING … especially war or defense.

——————————————————————

Free Republic:

Now Obama has insulted French President Sarkozy!

Oh no! Obama sent a letter to Chirac, saying he looks forward to working with him the next four years. Le Figaro, French newspaper is horrified at the faux pas. Doesn’t Obama ever consult his staff before acting? Sarkozy is the President there! It’s like Sarko writing to George Bush and saying he looks forward to working with him. Chirac is the FORMER president.

Here is a translation of the letter in Le Figaro:

Vendredi 20 mars 2009 OBAMA PREFERS CHIRAC !

Barack Obama does not seem to know that in May 2007, French voters elected Nicolas Sarkozy to the French presidency, to succeed Jacques Chirac who had been president for twelve years.

Yesterday, we told you Sarkozy is irritated because Mister O. refuses to tell him if he will accept to meet him personally in the next few months.

Strangely, we have just learnt this surprising piece of news :

Barack Obama wrote a letter to Jacques Chirac to tell him about his desire to “work with him” for the next four years ! In a letter described by Chirac as “very nice,” Obama wrote, “I am certain that we will be able to work together, in the coming four years, in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world.” The use of the word “peace” was taken to be an indirect reference to Chirac’s stance against the US intervention in Iraq, which Obama had also opposed.

This revelation was made by the online edition of the daily Le Figaro on Thursday.

Vendredi 20 mars 2009 OBAMA PREFERS CHIRAC !

So, if I understand well, Mister O., who has already despised Gordon Brown, behaving with him as if he did not know he is Prime Minister of Britain, does not even know the name of the French president.

I wonder if someone had told him, when he came to France last summer, that the man he met was NOT Jacques Chirac !

In any case, for Sarko, the blow must be terrible : he has tried to persuade Obama to invite him in Washington for months, and now he learns that his predecessor might soon be Obama’s guest at the White House before him !

Monsters And Critics:

Obama tacitly honours Chirac’s stance against Iraq war

Paris -US President Barack Obama has indirectly praised former French president Jacques Chirac’s fierce opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq, the online edition of the daily Le Figaro reported on Thursday.

In a letter described by Chirac as ‘very nice,’ Obama wrote, ‘I am certain that we will be able to work together, in the coming four years, in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world.’

The use of the word ‘peace’ was taken to be an indirect reference to Chirac’s stance against the US intervention in Iraq, which Obama had also opposed as senator.

No Pasaran:

Jacques Chirac: A “Very Sympathique” Letter From Monsieur Obama

Barack Obama and those who voted for him would be horrified if he (and they) had to cozy up to people (but can we only be sure they are in fact human?!) such as George W Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Sarah Palin, but the president has no compunction about writing to principled foreigners who opposed the United States such as Jacques Chirac (merci à RV).

Le président américain vient d’adresser une lettre «très sympathique » à Jacques Chirac, selon l’expression de ce dernier. «Je suis certain que nous pourrons au cours des quatre années à venir collaborer ensemble dans un esprit de paix et d’amitié afin de construire un monde plus sûr» , écrit le successeur de George W. Bush au prédécesseur de Nicolas Sarkozy. En évoquant le mot de « paix», Obama rend un hommage implicite à l’action de l’ancien président français qui s’était opposé à la guerre en Irak. Une intervention américaine contre laquelle le futur président américain s’était opposé comme sénateur, lors du vote au Congrès.

Thankfully, if many are, not all Frenchmen are duly impressed…

Sources: Sarkozy views Obama stance on Iran as ‘utterly immature’
Haaretz