"The moment has come in Obama's term at which he's no
longer setting the table, but needs to achieve results. Therefore, it's time to
count his allies. … The two men haven't changed - but the circumstances have. It's
no longer a time for assessment, but for action."
At Colombia University in New York, French President Nicolas Sarkozy talks about the importance of the United States, health care reform, Iran, global governance, and other issues of concern for the U.S. and France,
Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to
the White House comes at just the right moment. For the French president, this
is an opportunity to escape domestic contingencies and fast-emerging regional
ones. But not only that: it will finally allow him to act as the privileged interlocutor
for the U.S. president, relieving him of the obstacle represented by the endless
debate in Congress over health care reform.
Barack Obama has already shown
the purpose of the visit. By inviting the French presidential couple to dine,
in the evening, in his private apartment, he has dispensed with protocol,
wanting to forget the Elysée Palace lunch that he inelegantly dodged during his
visit last summer to Paris. In this way, President Obama seeks to put an end to
rumors of a misunderstanding between the two men.
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by WORLDMEETS.US
Of course, they're not made
of the same timber. One is as reserved as the other is expansive. The U.S. president
will not suddenly engage in effusions inconsistent with his well-crafted image.
But this is, first of all, pragmatic, and the moment has come in his term at
which he's no longer setting the table, but needs to achieve results. Therefore,
it's time to count his allies.
French
President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Barack
With the obstacle of health reform
overcome, the Obama presidency is now in the thick of things. It took a year to
"restart" relations with Russia, which has resulted in the
recently-reached agreement on disarmament [START III]. Now the time has come to "restart"
Franco-American ties.
It speaks well of Obama that
he isn't fixated on Europe and is only interested in you if you're able to offer
him solutions. That's quite a challenge! He's excessively unpretentious - but
without disregarding the impact that can be made with mutual support.
In the context of increasing
difficulty in the Middle East and the priority issue of a nuclear Iran, France
and the United States should stand together. It's the same when it comes to strengthening
global governance, confronting the financial crisis and in regard to relations
with Moscow or Beijing.
Barack
Obama needs such support before the November Congressional elections. Nicolas
Sarkozy must prepare himself for 2011, during which he'll chair the G-8 and G-20.
The two men haven't changed - but the circumstances have. It's no longer a time
for assessment, but for action.
