France gets involved in Israel-Lebanon crisis

In a surprising turn of events, France is now inserting itself into diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis between Israel and Lebanon.

France and Iran both ordered their foreign ministers to Beirut after SoS Condi Rice cancelled her recent trip there.

The French foreign minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, reiterated his calls for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. Mr. Douste-Blazy, who later met with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and other officials in the Lebanese capital on Monday, said Iran could play an important role in resolving the crisis.

While the United States has criticized Iran for supporting Hezbollah, Mr. Douste-Blazy said Iran could play a “stabilizing role” in the Middle East .

"It is clear that we could never accept the destabilization of Lebanon, which could lead to destabilization of the region," Mr. Douste-Blazy, on his third visit to Beirut since the fighting began, told reporters.
www.nytimes.com...

He also supposedly discussed the possibility of using French troops as part of a UN peacekeeping force, but only after a political solution had been found.

On one occasion, he did appear to lose touch with reality when he said

"In the region there is of course a country such as Iran — a great country, a great people and a great civilization which is respected and which plays a stabilizing role in the region,” he said.

Stabilizing role, indeed.

What are his real motives? Access to more of Iran's oil?

"In the region there is of course a country such as Iran — a great country, a great people and a great civilization which is respected and which plays a stabilizing role in the region,” he said.


Were his lips on anyone's backside when he said it? Appeaser, I'm not surprised. Hey if France can pull off any kind of diplomacy without offending someone in the process then I say what the heck? Give'm more oil. This should be better than the Big East play-offs!

I do agree with the french foreign minister, Iran does have a great country, great people, and a great civilization.....but not a great government.
The french do have a intrest in the region though as Lebanon, Sryia, Palestine, and Israel were all former french colonies, they acturly have more of a right to intervene than the American government, what ties to the region do the U.S. have? Oil....

Is this gonna be a new bash the french topic ?
You can't blame them for trying to get peace in the region.
After all, US is letting war happen and Bush already said americans won't be part of any peace force in Lebannon.
On one side, you got the Israelis killing innocent people and putting the blame on Hezbollah, Iran, Syria.
Wonder where exactly is the hypocrisy of the situation here.

Americans say they will never negociate with terrorrists, but then again, Rice says she's talking with Hezbollah's representatives. So i guess Hezbollah are not really considered terrorists.

So next step is blaming Iran and Syria. So why keep them out of the loop ?
US have just retired from Afghanistan command. So i guess it opens an opportunity for a new war front.
Is that the plan ?

After all, Israeli diplomacy asked for France to step in the negociation because of its ties to Lebannon. But i guess that's not what Israel was expecting.
They want France to step in because as said before they want a muppet country to face the anger of the people once this settles. America won't do it.
France has a long history and great experience of how american politics work.
They've played the muppet part in the first Irak war and then refused to take part in the slaughter part II. I will never blame them for that.
Just look at the mess in Irak now.
The ones that screw bad, that cause distress, destruction and political instability are the real ones to blame.

Rice refused ceasefire saying that any agreement should include all parties and that is including Iran and Syria. But i guess i'm not reading it as they want us to.
All they want is more war, sell more weapons and be sure Israel keeps it's power in the region, be a muppet of the US, like if the 400+ Israeli nuclear war heads weren't enough.

[edit on 31-7-2006 by Chrysalis]

What would make you think that France's motives are less than noble, Bombers?

Have you read this?

"Turkey and Israel are negotiating the construction of a multi-million-dollar energy and water project that will transport water, electricity, natural gas and oil by pipelines to Israel, with the oil to be sent onward from Israel to the Far East,

The new Turkish-Israeli proposal under discussion would see the transfer of water, electricity, natural gas and oil to Israel via four underwater pipelines.

...

Militarization of the Eastern Mediterranean

The bombing of Lebanon is part of a carefully planned and coordinated military road map. The extension of the war into Syria and Iran has already been contemplated by US and Israeli military planners. This broader military agenda is intimately related to strategic oil and oil pipelines. It is supported by the Western oil giants which control the pipeline corridors. In the context of the war on Lebanon, it seeks Israeli territorial control over the East Mediterranean coastline.

...

Israel is now part of the Anglo-American military axis, which serves the interests of the Western oil giants in the Middle East and Central Asia.

While the official reports state that the BTC pipeline will "channel oil to Western markets", what is rarely acknowledged is that part of the oil from the Caspian sea would be directly channeled towards Israel. In this regard, an underwater Israeli-Turkish pipeline project has been envisaged which would link Ceyhan to the Israeli port of Ashkelon and from there through Israel's main pipeline system, to the Red Sea.

The objective of Israel is not only to acquire Caspian sea oil for its own consumption needs but also to play a key role in re-exporting Caspian sea oil back to the Asian markets through the Red Sea port of Eilat. The strategic implications of this re-routing of Caspian sea oil are farreaching.

...

Water for Israel

Also involved in this project is a pipeline to bring water to Israel, pumping water from upstream resources of the Tigris and Euphrates river system in Anatolia. This has been a long-run strategic objective of Israel to the detriment of Syria and Iraq. Israel's agenda with regard to water is supported by the military cooperation agreement between Tel Aviv and Ankara.

Of course France would like a say in the matter, someone needs to build these pipelines and power plants.

There's something really wrong about what you just posted psyopswatcher.
Ok i admit i just went thru the pictures to understand your point, but what strikes me is the last link in the article :
www.bakuceyhan.org.uk...

Last time i checked, BP was an english company...

I think I must have seen it all now...good since I think we're entering a very dangerous time.

The French calling Iran a stabilizing force? What drugs was this guy on, I want to try some!

Originally posted by Chrysalis
There's something really wrong about what you just posted psyopswatcher.

Last time i checked, BP was an english company...

The BTC pipeline is a joint effort:

BP leads the BTC pipeline consortium. Other major Western shareholders include Chevron, Conoco-Phillips, France's Total and Italy's ENI. (see Annex)

I hope you're not saying America and Israel are the stabilizing forces in the region, cause with all those smileys i might think it was a joke.

It's a shatterbelt, there's really no stabilizing force there IMHO. But I'd take the U.S. and Israel any day over Iran.

What you seem to miss DJ is that the only distabilizing force in the middle east Is right now US and its support for Israel . . .

I always said that the wars fought in the middle east since 9/11 is all about control of oil for future energy demands . . .

And is very blatanly the way in which our nation disregard the people of these lands in the middle east to make its goal. . .

After all tagging Syria and Iran terrorist states takes away from the fact that they are soverign nations.

Now you can see how real terrorism works and how its spreads . . . just put the blame on the other side so it doesn't look that bad when the attacks and the war starts. . .

My point, Crys, was to remind us that Israel's and the US's motives are less than pure, especially when Rice or Jr. won't consider a ceasefire and Lebanon's infrastucture is being destroyed more and more with each passing day.

And try to remember it also when you hear the sabers rattling between Turkey and the Kurds. That's where the water is to come from. Who will be producing the electricity remains to be seen.

Syria's in their sites next unless they can work a deal to cooperate on access to the sea.

- But the problem is that the propaganda has been hammering that Iran and Syria were to blame for what is happenning.

- Rice says any peace treaty would have to involve all parties.

- Bush said something in the likes of "if you are not with us, you are against us", and that's not yet talking about the evil axis thing...

For me, the result of the equation is simple : not wanting Iran and Syria in the peace process proves they are gonna be the stage of next war.

Of course France has an interest in Lebanon. You guys must be on something. Lebanon was at one time a Mandate of France. The second language there is French/English and there is a lot of French influence there. Why wouldn't the French want to help out? At least they are doing something. Better then this crappy administration we have here playing favorites to Israel, when there are just as many law-abiding tax-paying Lebanese as any other minority such as the Israelis.


Its just typical how America is alienating countries we could benefit from in order to appease countries that suck us dry, make us look bad on a global level and cause problems. Look how well its working in South America. LOL We are making countries go towards communism because of it.

So is France going to surrender for one of the countries involved?

Making a lot of white flags?

Open up all the wine cellars and get everyone drunk?( Thats not a bad idea)

Roper

And right you've been, Marg.

It's always been about the oil. That's the 'national interests' that must be protected. BigEnergy's interests being numero uno.

Originally posted by psyopswatcher
What would make you think that France's motives are less than noble, Bombers?

Have you read this?

Interesting link, psyopswatcher. Just goes to show that there is usually more than meets the eye in these matters.

Interesting thought France, Iran, Syria, Lebanon on one side. Israel and the U.S. on the other anyone see something interesting occuring here or is it just me?

I mean alot of American folks do not like the french, an alot of the french folks dont like ameicans, anyone bet this is france's way of sticking two frogs legs up at the U.S. and pickin sides???

The French economy is in the toilet. Unemployment is over 10%. They lost out with their bribes to Saddam in Iraq for construction and pipeline contracts. Maybe they are looking at reconstructing Lebanon as their meal ticket for the next 10 years or so.

The French economy is in the toilet. Unemployment is over 10%. They lost out with their bribes to Saddam in Iraq for construction and pipeline contracts. Maybe they are looking at reconstructing Lebanon as their meal ticket for the next 10 years or so.

And it starts already the anti french crap, enough with it already Man get a grip, your country is not the only country inthe world who has a say in this, every country in the world has so shut the hell up. Unless all you americans wants us (uk) to dislike you more an more.......

Least the French are trying todo somethign rather than let hundred or even thousands women and children die in this conflict, to what end the UK and the U.S.A. is lackin........