Kouchner makes sure the freedom fry is extinct forever
French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner with Condoleezza Rice
The recent claim by French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, that “France has put an end to its 100 year long tradition of anti-americanism”, has revolutionized franco-american diplomatic relations. The long-lasting policy of French protectionsim – a desire to preserve one’s culture through certain restrictions on free-trade – has always been at the forefront of French diplomacy.
French protectionism has constantly been at the centre of numerous diplomatic disputes with America from the GATT agreements to fears over fast food and the americanisation of the media. It even reached the point in 2003, when France refused to commit soldiers to the cause in Irak, that America accused the French of being a bunch of "cheese-eating surrender monkeys." They were said to oppose the American viewpoint out of sheer spite.
Now, it seems Bernard Kouchner, alongside French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is set to revitalize franco-american diplomatic relations. In a laughable, yet hugely symbolic gest, French fries have officially been put back on American restaurant menus. The months since Sarkozy has come to power have seen French wine imports to America rise by 9%. The Americans have even taken to eating Camembert and Roquefort after meal times as cheese imports in July were up by 12%.
What does all this diplomatic exchanging of the baton really represent? Very often these small symbolic acts of appreciation are a result of a newfound ideological agreement. Hence Bernard Kouchner’s use of messianic discourses which predict an ‘end’ to the confrontation between the west and the east. For the first time since Vichy France, French politics can be accused of supporting radical ideas leading us to a supposed 'end', whereby liberal democracy is synonym for peace and freedom. Bush, like Sarkozy believes that democracy should be universally exported and therefore integrated into the political framework of all those countries who appear to be supporting terrorist regimes.
France no longer sits on the fence, opening its diplomatic arms to tolerance and rational decision making. Instead “weakness and renunciation" are not said to "lead to peace". "They lead to war”, Sarkozy told the UN. Kouchner has even declared that the “world must prepare for the worst”, when questioned about Iran’s nuclear program.
History has a habit of repeating itself. As Raymond Aron once said “What passes for optimism is often the effect of an intellectual error.” In this case, Monsieur Aron, I believe, has greatly understood the thought processes of the western world's current leaders. Have we not learnt anything from what has happened in Iraq?
Sarkozy should perhaps reacquaint himself with the French intellectual tradition that he has chosen to banish. Renunciation does not mean weakness. Rather it lays the foundations for rational discussion and therefore non-violent conflict.
