Word: franco-american
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...well they should. Not so long ago the Syrian first couple were personae non grata in Western capitals. The U.S., which accuses Syria of sponsoring terrorism, led an effort to isolate the country diplomatically and economically. And in a rare instance of Franco-American harmony, France had its own grudge against Syria: the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister and close friend of former French President Jacques Chirac, an act for which many in the West blamed Syria...
...Nonetheless, there has been a clear shift in French foreign policy toward a pro-U.S. stance since Sarkozy became President over a year ago. Dubbed 'Sarkozy l'Americain,' he has regularly underscored the importance of the Franco-American relationship...
...campaign comment that he didn't favor additional French forces because he couldn't see how it would be 'decisive'," Delafon notes, adding that few analysts see how a modest reinforcement could possibly prove "decisive" now. "This is a political move following through on Sarkozy's pledge to improve Franco-American cooperation. Making a political decision on a military matter, and without a clear military strategy for victory behind it, carries very significant political risks: The French public may sour on an Afghanistan going from bad to worse, (and), accusations already flying of Sarkozy being a poodle of U.S. foreign...
...gushes. It was probably a wise move. By the time he was through, McCain had praised Sarkozy's leadership in environmental issues, pushing the harder international line against Iran's nuclear ambitions, and fighting terrorism. McCain called Sarkozy a "man of enormous energy" who has been central to bringing Franco-American relations into "an era of friendship and cooperation...
...that turned out so catastrophic a majority of politicians and voters in the U.S. now oppose it?" asks Jacques Mistral, head of economic research at the French Institute on Foreign Relations, and former official at the French Embassy in Washington during the darkest days of the Franco-American Iraq spat. "Virtually everyone in France is happy to see friendly feelings and a positive atmosphere restored, but people are also aware that Iraq, Guantanamo, Iran, and most issues that still divide us were carefully ignored," during Sarkozy's trip...