Did Carla Wear Him Out? The Daily Beast

President Sarkozy appears to have worn himself out and not just jogging, perhaps he needs a few weeks rest on the Cornish coast:

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Did Carla Wear Him Out?

by Eric Pape

Eric Pape has reported on Europe and the Mediterranean region for Newsweek Magazine since 2003. He is co-author of the graphic novel, Shake Girl, which was inspired by one of his articles. He has written for the Los Angeles Times magazine, Spin, Vibe, Le Courrier International, Salon, Los Angeles and others. He is based in Paris.

THE DAILY BEAST: “French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s jogging collapse Sunday suggests that he’s struggling with his unique juggling act: how to run a country while satisfying a glamorous younger wife.

On a hot, sunny day in late July, when many Frenchmen his age were uncorking bottles of rosé, President Nicolas Sarkozy was in the midst of a 45-minute run in the park outside the Chateau of Versailles. Sarkozy is known for running—television crews often film him, sweaty and uncouth, as he jogs in an NYPD t-shirt. It is a potent part of the Sarkozy brand: he is tireless and in perpetual motion. His running may be more American than French, but as a manifestation of his relentless work ethic, it probably wins him votes. The problem is that this time, according to witnesses, Sarkozy staggered, and either collapsed or lay down with the assistance of an aide (depending on whether you believe witnesses or his cabinet)…”

via Did Carla Wear Him Out? – Page 1 – The Daily Beast.

Le Tour 2009.

Well it’s been three weeks of thrills from the Tour de France.

As usual it has been very exciting, one of world’s most challenging cycle races.  British rider Mark Cavendish has done very well.

Charles Bremner – Times Online – WBLG: Obama dampens Sarkozy’s D-Day ambitions

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Interesting story from Charles Bremner in The Times in regard to President Obama’s relations with Nicolas Sarkozy and the friction caused by the failure by Sarkozy to invite Queen Elizabeth to the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings:

THE TIMES: “Barack Obama is not doing anything to help Nicolas Sarkozy. Three days from the US leader’s arrival for his D-Day weekend, he is keeping his distance from the French president who was so eager to welcome him.

The White House‘s coolness has added to embarrassment at the Elysée Palace over the way they have bungled what Sarkozy wanted to be a supreme Franco-American moment in Paris and especially Normandy. The final straw for Paris was the White House’s undiplomatic public reproach this week to Sarkozy for failing to invite the British Queen to the 6th of June ceremony…”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

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I was rather disgusted yesterday in regard to the morons who booed Gordon Brown at Bayeux Cathedral as he took part in the proceedings in the memory of those who gave their lives in the D-Day landings in WWII. This display of hooligan behaviour took place on foreign soil in view of other overseas leaders. Those who took part in this hooligan activity were doing something unBritish – Gordon Brown is along with Prince Charles representing the country during the remembrance services. Therefore booing him is boing all UK citizens. Gordon Brown should be respected as UK prime minister. If the hooligans booed on British soil fair enough but this should not be done in the circumstances concerning the remembrance of D-Day events and I don’t care who did it – it was wrong.

Now, as we await the announcement of European election results, delayed rather stupidly by the EU authorities, I fear as most observers do that for the Labour party the results may well be catastrophic and once again the chief Tory squealer, Cameron, will be demanding a general election etc. The failure of those in the Cabinet to challenge Gordon Brown and instead accept continued appointments has been disappointing. They have delayed the inevitable.

I don’t doubt Gordon Brown’s sincerity, he is an intelligent and knowledgeable man who has been doggedly determined to hang on and some of the media pressure has been insulting. But he cannot communicate and worst of all he has no agenda, he seems to have no vision.

The Labour party really does need a fresh new leader and it needs to have a clear agenda; it also needs to meet promises made in the manifesto. Failure at the next general election whoever leads the Labour party looks certain but a least a new leader might make the gap between Labour and Tories in the next Parliament less than what it might be under Gordon Brown’s leadership.

David Cameron is a desperate man he knows in time the economy may well recover and this time next year the general election may be fought with economic prosperity returning. So of course he wants a general election now hopefully that will be delayed as long as possible even with a new Labour leader.

President Barak Obama’s tribute to D-Day heroes

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Tributes were paid to the heroes of the D-Day Normandy landings on June 6, 1944 that eventually led to the defeat of nazi tyranny in Europe. President Barak Obama made a magnificent speech.

Let us remember Nazism is still with us here in our homeland and that we need to smash the Nazi scum in the anti-British BNP:

BBC NEWS: “Allied leaders have been paying tribute to veterans of D-Day, as they mark the 65th anniversary of the landings at a series of events in Normandy.US President Barack Obama said the bravery and selflessness of a few changed the course of a whole century.He was speaking alongside French, Canadian and UK leaders at the American cemetery near Omaha Beach, scene of fierce fighting on 6 June 1944.The Allies suffered 215,000 casualties on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign.Germany suffered similar losses as the Allies fought desperately up the beaches and into the French countryside to form a bridgehead…”

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French warship captures pirates

There must be firm and resolute action against Somali pirates, their bases, on land should be occupied and hostages released.  Shipping owners should stop paying ransom money. The US and French governments are showing the right way to deal with this menace.

BBC NEWS: “A French warship has captured 11 pirates off the coast of Kenya, amid calls for the international community to deal with the problem of piracy.

The pirates were captured by a warship from an EU piracy patrol, French officials said, hours after a failed attack on a US ship…”

See the link below for more;

via BBC NEWS | World | Africa | French warship captures pirates.

The White House – Press Office – Remarks by President Obama at Strasbourg Town Hall

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President Barak Obama made one of his amazing speeches to a town hall gathering in Strasbourg, he spoke with passion and commitment to an audience that appeared rather sleepy about NATO and the urgency of sending European troops to fight al-Quaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Whereas France and Germany appear to think their soldiers shouldn’t be put in harms way they nevertheless, think everyone else should fight for them.  There is an appalling lack of solidarity in a few European states towards the cause of smashing terrorism.

See the link below for more;

The White House – Press Office – Remarks by President Obama at Strasbourg Town Hall.

Sarkozy outlines Congo peace plan

DRC map, courtesy BBC.

President Sarkozy’s visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo is of interest to Congo watchers. Clearly, there are economic reasons at the bottom of it and maybe the fear of “Balkanisation” may be real but then the DRC is far too large, it’s just ungovernable;

BBC News: “…Preparations for the visit were overshadowed by comments Mr Sarkozy made in January when he suggested DR Congo share its mineral wealth with Rwanda as a way to end violence around the main eastern city of Goma.

The idea triggered uproar with the Congolese media accusing Paris of seeking a “Balkanisation” of the country and trying to use DR Congo’s mineral wealth to help mend its ties with Rwanda.

Paris and Kigali have been at loggerheads for years over who is to blame for Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, in which some 800,000 people were slaughtered…”

For more see the link below;

via BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Sarkozy outlines Congo peace plan.