Sarkozy Calls for "Mediterranean Union" to Link Europe and Africa

[Dowple]

From his Victory Speech (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6631125.stm). Maybe not so much of a "conservative" as some people thought, eh?



The Mediterranean and Africa
I want to issue a call to all the people of the Mediterranean to tell them that it is in the Mediterranean that everything is going to be played out, that we have to overcome all kinds of hatred to pave the way for a great dream of peace and a great dream of civilization. I want to tell them that the time has come to build together a Mediterranean union that will form a link between Europe and Africa.
What was done for the union of Europe 60 years ago, we are going to do today for the union of the Mediterranean. I want to issue a call to all Africans, a brotherly call, to tell Africa that we want to help it, to help Africa to vanquish illness, to vanquish famine, to vanquish poverty, to live in peace. I want to tell them that we are going to work together on decisions concerning a policy of controlled immigration and a policy of ambitious development.

[DeclinetoState]

Aren't the Moroccans and Spanish already at work on a railway tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar? That is probably just the first step in what Sarkozy is talking about.

[ConservativeFV]

I see nothing 'Conservative or Liberal' about his idea. It should be our goal as industrialized nations to end the suffering in Africa. No human being should ever have to starve to death.

[M.C.]

Sounds like a liberal to me. Typical of the French though isn't it? Instead of letting the Africans fix their own problems, we have to do it for them. People only get stronger by overcoming challenges. Let them cure their AIDS. Let them cure their Malaria. It isn't France's job or our job. But no, Liberals in their fantasy world where we all hold hands and sing.

I see nothing 'Conservative or Liberal' about his idea. It should be our goal as industrialized nations to end the suffering in Africa. No human being should ever have to starve to death.

It should be our goal to help cure the diseases and starving we have in America, not Africa

[Republican_Legion]

I see nothing 'Conservative or Liberal' about his idea. It should be our goal as industrialized nations to end the suffering in Africa. No human being should ever have to starve to death.

Correct. How can they fix the problem themselfs when the people there are controlled by dictatorships and rigged elections. It aint the common folk over there to blaim. Their goverment has not done the job to improve the economy and as result their lifes are terrible.

People only get stronger by overcoming challenges. Let them cure their AIDS. Let them cure their Malaria. It isn't France's job or our job. But no, Liberals in their fantasy world where we all hold hands and sing.

How can they overcome that if they are in a dictatorship country or in one that has rigged elections. It aint our job but there is nothing wrong in helping a someone out.

Sounds like a liberal to me. Typical of the French though isn't it? Instead of letting the Africans fix their own problems, we have to do it for them. People only get stronger by overcoming challenges. Let them cure their AIDS. Let them cure their Malaria. It isn't France's job or our job. But no, Liberals in their fantasy world where we all hold hands and sing.Obviously Sarkozy isnt one of those Godless Libertarian types that like to let people starve and kill each other and turn a blind eye to the whole thing.

Go tell that to the starving people that they have to go kill the dictator to overcome their problems. Yeah they will be gunned down by the Govt because the one thing african nations have is that they can wipe out thousands of their own people in days. Rwanda rings a bell.

Aparently we had knock down Saddam Hussein to open the doors for democracy in Iraq.
No way the people there could have done that without us. They could have tryed but might have ended up being poisoned by WMDs.

[Wolfcounsel]

"I see nothing 'Conservative or Liberal' about his idea. It should be our goal as industrialized nations to end the suffering in Africa. No human being should ever have to starve to death." --ConservativeFV

Yes. Tell us how we go about toppling every asshole who enslaves his country, throws lavish parties for his cronies and guests, builds elegant palaces and homes for his chosen ones, amasses huge bank accounts, and keeps his people under an iron thumb and starving to death? I'm anxious to find out.:evilgrin:

[ConservativeFV]

"I see nothing 'Conservative or Liberal' about his idea. It should be our goal as industrialized nations to end the suffering in Africa. No human being should ever have to starve to death." --ConservativeFV

Yes. Tell us how we go about toppling every asshole who enslaves his country, throws lavish parties for his cronies and guests, builds elegant palaces and homes for his chosen ones, amasses huge bank accounts, and keeps his people under an iron thumb and starving to death? I'm anxious to find out.:evilgrin:

It is a slow, painful process. I think George Bush himself opened up my eyes to our real job in the world. It will take decades, possibly centuries, but one day I would dream that every human being on the planet can make an honest days work and at least afford his family food, protection, and love. This is not possible when some governments are run by tyrants.

[TheUndertaker]

Sounds like a liberal to me. Typical of the French though isn't it? Instead of letting the Africans fix their own problems, we have to do it for them. People only get stronger by overcoming challenges. Let them cure their AIDS. Let them cure their Malaria. It isn't France's job or our job. But no, Liberals in their fantasy world where we all hold hands and sing.

To be fair, French Colonialism did help screw up that continent so I guess Sarkozy probably feels some guilt and is trying to do what he can to lend a hand. There is nothing wrong with offering a helping hand; the trick is to make these people work along side you; to help you help them. If they don't you tend to end up with something like Iraq.

[noncom]

Maybe not so much of a "conservative" as some people thought, eh?
Everything's relative. Sure, he's conservative FOR A FRENCHMAN, but it's kind of silly to think that makes him a Renault Reagan.

And am I the only one who sees how creepy this is? If I lived in Africa, having Frenchmen "reach out to me" would be my biggest nightmare!

[M.C.]

I certainly don't want my government helping Africa. We have enough problems with the terrorists and the liberals, not to mention our culture getting vomitted on by the drunken mouths of so-called celebrities. I want my tax money helping sick dying Americans not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS.

[Creiko]

.... not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS.
How more insulting can you get?

[Wolfcounsel]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">
".... not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS." --M.C.
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"How more insulting can you get?" --Creiko




How about male sheep?

[Dowple]

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".... not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS." --M.C.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


"How more insulting can you get?" --Creiko




How about male sheep?


Heh, heh, heh. Hee, hee, hee. Ho, ho, ho. :rotflmbo:

[Republican_Legion]

not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS.I never knew 100% of those in Africa rape sheep ?


Wasnt it in Haiti where the AIDS virus actually came from ?

[Rhino]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">
".... not helping some African who raped a sheep and got AIDS." --M.C.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


"How more insulting can you get?" --Creiko




How about male sheep?:rotflmbo: :rotflmbo: :rotflmbo:

[Rhino]

How more insulting can you get?Don't give him a challenge. He might live up to it.

[Beowulf]

How more insulting can you get?

OK, how about more truthful although it's about the same. AIDS is rampant in Africa. Kenya has a 33.3% epidemic amongst it's population of girls between 15 and 19.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/545033.stm

This doesn't include the rate on the adult population. The United States send billions to that country and other African nations to fight this disease. Money is nice but it doesn't do squat if the locals won't change their habits and teach sexual education.

Insulting, Creiko? I call it insulting when the U.S. makes an effort to help and the rest of the world says it's not enough. Hey, we're trying. Sorry others aren't!:flame:

[Rhino]

He may have a point though. I heard it wasn't a sheep. It was a monkey.

[Republican_Legion]

There is a difference between helping their economy and fighting AIDS.
How can their culture do anything about AIDS if they have the same shithole economy controlled by dictators ?

Apparently the shithole economy africa has had for 1000 of years isnt helping. Yes lets be good christians and say go to hell to them poor african children who cannot understand why no one will throw out the Dictators.

[Rhino]

Back to the original speech:

"...a brotherly call, to tell Africa that we want to help it, to help Africa to vanquish illness, to vanquish famine, to vanquish poverty, to live in peace."

They haven't vanquished any of that in Europe, so what makes them think a Mediterranean union will do it in Africa?

And as far as aid goes, there's nothing wrong with the sentiment of preferring that the money be used at home. It's not a matter of telling them to go to hell. It's a matter of establishing priorities. And given that much of that aid is being wasted on efforts that are having little or no effect, then an argument for different priorities has merit. Like it or not, we don't have the resources or the ability to solve all the world's problems, so we have to prioritize. Certainly there will be disgreement over where the priorities should lie, but simply saying that any argument over priorities is a waste, or that it constitutes hate, insults or thoughtlessness, just doesn't make sense.

[M.C.]

OK, how about more truthful although it's about the same. AIDS is rampant in Africa. Kenya has a 33.3% epidemic amongst it's population of girls between 15 and 19.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/545033.stm

This doesn't include the rate on the adult population. The United States send billions to that country and other African nations to fight this disease. Money is nice but it doesn't do squat if the locals won't change their habits and teach sexual education.

Insulting, Creiko? I call it insulting when the U.S. makes an effort to help and the rest of the world says it's not enough. Hey, we're trying. Sorry others aren't!:flame:

No kidding. All we ever do is spend out money trying to solve disease and discomfort in a foreign land when we are up to our eyes in domestic problems. Not to mention, America is still a much hated nation through most of the world. Why solve their problems? Why us? Why not Russia? Why not England? We have done it enough, we aren't the world's doctor and enforcer. Though don't tell that to a neocon. Deal with America first, if we can help ourselves and save our culture, then we can go save the world.

[DeclinetoState]

If you want to help Africa, do it through your church or a reputable charitable organization. Don't expect the government to do it with tax dollars. And sure as hell don't look to the UN, which is often more part of the problem than anything else, for help.

[MrSanity]

I have some pretty mixed feelings about Sarkozy.

I'm glad he won, but now this. Wow.

I heard somewhere that he's gonna try to cut taxes. Good luck with that. Sucks to be French.