Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Mark Wauck's avatar

French general : "we cannot flex our muscles....if we do not have any"

Expand full comment
ML's avatar

In an interview with Le Figaro (solidly Macronist but starting to wake up…), De Villepin gives three reasons for Macron’s bombastic utterances: one, political: “divide and conquer” or “établir des clivages” between the various parties who support Ukraine and those who don’t; two, diplomatic: Macron’s voice resonates more in a US leadership vacuum, (“l’effacement du leadership américain”) allowing Macron to “substitue” his voice for America’s; and three, the “syndrome de la phrase magique” or “magic expression syndrome” which, I guess, is what for Mac passes for diplomacy (the meaningless and silly “strategic ambiguity”!). Coming from a trained, seasoned and respected diplomat, an excoriating indictment, and not the first one DV has issued of Macron’s presidency.

Expand full comment
10 more comments...

No posts