February 19, 2003

Mugabe flies into French storm

Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe has arrived in Paris despite a ban on him travelling to the European Union.

France was given an exemption from the ban to allow Mr Mugabe to attend a summit of French and African leaders.

In return, Paris gave its backing to the renewal of EU sanctions against Mr Mugabe, his wife and other government officials.

A small group of protesters called for Mr Mugabe's arrest for alleged human rights abuses.

France's stance has provoked the fury of several other European countries, including the UK.

More, "L'Europe, c'est moi."* behavior on the part of Chirac.
And meanwhile, no mention of the French military intervention debacle in Ivory Coast.
While Jacques still endures the opprobium of the rest of the EU over his truculent backing of Saddam over the U.S, he goes to bat for another murderous tyrant.
How long can Chirac continue to bully and taunt his neighbors, friends and allies as the Bad Boy of the Western World?

*The phrase "L'Europe, c'est moi." was first used by Steven den Beste and is an appropos redux of
Louis Quatorze grandiloquent statement, "L'etat, c'est moi." or literally, "I am the state."