Is it possible that Saddam owns Chirac???

French President Jacques Chirac's special relationship with Saddam Hussein goes back almost 30 years. As the French Foreign Minister in 1974, Chirac was instrumental in boosting France's diplomatic and economic ties with oil-rich Iraq. Chirac called Saddam Hussein "a personal friend" after Chirac and Hussein finalized the agreement for the construction of a French-built nuclear reactor near Baghdad; the reactor that was later bombed by Israel.

Chirac's long-standing relationship with Saddam Hussein and France's vast financial interests with the current Iraqi Government goes a long way in explaining France's seemingly inexplicable passion to keep Saddam Hussein in power.
www.usainreview.com...

France
While America's closest allies in the Middle East are Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, who are France's best friends? No less of despots than Syria, Iraq and Iran - 3 of 7 nations the US lists as state sponsors of international terrorism. Take Iraq, for example. In 1974, the then French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, who is also the current French president, called Saddam Hussein a "personal friend," and it was Chirac's government that built the controversial nuclear reactor near Baghdad that Israel (the US' ally), thankfully, blew to bits. And according to the BBC: "By the late 1970s France was second only to the USSR as supplier of both civilian and military equipment to the Iraqis. The trend continued under French socialist governments in the 1980s. Like other Western countries, France strongly backed Iraq in its war against Iran. Paris supplied Baghdad with sophisticated weaponry, including Mirage fighter bombers and Super Etendard aircraft equipped with Exocet missiles. When the Iraqis found it hard to pay up, Paris rescheduled the debt."
uspolitics.about.com...

French President Jacques Chirac has said he knows of no relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda, and has warned that a war against Baghdad could provoke terrorists to stage new attacks.
news.bbc.co.uk...
If there are no terrorist's there why should we fear an attack?Most likely they are there and Chirac does not want to adimit it.I think no matter what the evidence is,no matter how damning it may be France will veto any act of war against Iraq.I would not be a bit surprised if the French are informing Saddam where the inspectors are going to be,so nothing is found.IMO

WTF?
I have NEVER heard something as REDICULOUS!
Saddam owns Chirac?
AND THE GREYS OWN BUSHLER!

Saddam and Chirac have a long standing relationship.
It could be one of the reasons why France does not want to oust Saddam.

If you do a little research you will find that out.

It is VERY possible... as stated before, the economy is bad, and Iraq is one of Frances best customers.... In an environment where paying customers are getting hard to find, France wants to hang onto the best one that they have....

No doubt that Chirac and Saddam began their careers together and it is a fact that the French media at the time used to rhyme "Chirac" with "Iraq": so close did the two seem.
But I'd think it more likely that French oil companies might "own" Chiraq, rather than Saddam.

Originally posted by Estragon

But I'd think it more likely that French oil companies might "own" Chiraq, rather than Saddam.

France is exploiting 23 % of the Irak oil fields. It seems that they signed a new special agreement.If France can stop Bush and Washington with what they want to do, France will exploit 40 % of the Irak oil field and Irak will buy to France for 25 bilion USD of new weapons ( Tank MBT Leclerc, fighter Rafale and also frigates ).

A french diplomat would have met Saddam in secret,there is some weeks ago, to signed this special agreement. But Chirac deny everything.

I found this info on a french website,but the webpage have been removed !

Indeed, U-P, and the so-called Iraqi "government-in-exile" have made it pretty clear that they'll give everything to the US (minus whatever the Turks might manage to grab, of course)

Interesting post nyeff.
But U-P and yourself forget the 'throwing stones/glass houses' axiom when you fail to be intellectually honest: France does business with Iraq....the US is about to forcefullytakeIraq's resources by way of a proxy government!!! Vive La Diferance!

We fail to be intellectually honest !? Honest about what ? About the USA and France ? That the USA were backing Irak too ?

" Vive la difference "....and ? Why " heil the difference " ??? What do you want to mean BT ?

[Edited on 15-2-2003 by ultra_phoenix]

Bitching about France doing business for a fraction of Iraq's resources, as a customer, while applauding the pending US grab of ALL IRAQ's RESOURCES, as an invading force.
My apologies to the French language!

Originally posted by Bout Time

1) Bitching about France doing business for a fraction of Iraq's resources, as a customer, while applauding the pending US grab of ALL IRAQ's RESOURCES, as an invading force.

2) My apologies to the French language!

1) Ok, I see... But I've nothing to say for the moment.

2) I'm not worry for your french. But I'm very worry for my english.

I think this war is more about ridding the world of Saddam than oil.I also don't see the U.S. taking over Iraq.I'm sure it will be a US friendly government,but that is it.

I don't know why,but I have bad feeling about Chirac and Saddam.I'am under the impression that Chirac would be happy with no real regime change in Iraq.
Even if the war is all about oil,I would think it would still be in Frances best interest to side with the US.They should have no problems getting oil if they take part in the coalition.
When Chirac sides with people like Saddam,Arafat, and countries like Iran and Syria it really makes me wonder.It becomes obvious that Chirac does not care about human rights,that he supports dictators and tyrants.And makes his stance about being hard on terrorism seem pretty hollow.

nyeff, I couldn't have said it better myself!

Well done,
Deep

Nyeff, you forget something.

France ( like many other EU nation ) has many muslims (north-africans and africans peoples ) on her soil ( more than 6 millions ). Also, France like muslim and arabs nation.

Chirac is afraid to see all these foreign peoples trying to do a civil war in France. Anyway, France ( and Europe too ) will not avoid this civil war. May be tomorrow, or in 1 years, or even 10 years, but europe, and especially France, will have a civil war.

OTH,they is already a kind of civil war in France. It's unbelievable what's going on now in France. Of course, don't think that you'll see this in your tv set. There is a blackout on this subject. But alternative information website are providing many good info.