Words Are Funny Things
Among the more definitive signs of obsession is that you find it in contexts where it really has no place. So for those who believe that the French insist on pretending that peace can exist even in the most hostile environments, little slips like this are pretty funny:
The hospital’s medical staff is trying to create a peaceful environment around Arafat that would enable him to rest. In order not to exhaust the PA chief, doctors have decided to limit the number of visits he would receive.
Good luck with that.
Of course, what all of us don't realize is that for the French, "Arafat" and "peaceful" are pretty much synonymous:
"It was natural that France, land of refuge, would not question the right of the president of the Palestinian Authority to come for medical treatment in our country," Chirac said in Rome where he was attending the signing of the new European Union constitution.
In a message to the veteran Palestinian leader, Chirac stressed that France "as you know, supports the aspiration, which you embody, to the creation of a viable, prosperous and peaceful Palestinian state, alongside an Israeli state assured of its security."...
Liberation published a complete profile of Arafat’s struggle in defense of the Palestinian cause, describing him as one of the main symbols of national liberation. Le Figaro opening defending the French government’s position on Arafat.
Peace and quiet at any cost - it's a French tradition.
UPDATE: As long as I'm taking gratuitous shots at the French, I might as well link to a slightly different opinion. But only slightly different.
The hospital’s medical staff is trying to create a peaceful environment around Arafat that would enable him to rest. In order not to exhaust the PA chief, doctors have decided to limit the number of visits he would receive.
Good luck with that.
Of course, what all of us don't realize is that for the French, "Arafat" and "peaceful" are pretty much synonymous:
"It was natural that France, land of refuge, would not question the right of the president of the Palestinian Authority to come for medical treatment in our country," Chirac said in Rome where he was attending the signing of the new European Union constitution.
In a message to the veteran Palestinian leader, Chirac stressed that France "as you know, supports the aspiration, which you embody, to the creation of a viable, prosperous and peaceful Palestinian state, alongside an Israeli state assured of its security."...
Liberation published a complete profile of Arafat’s struggle in defense of the Palestinian cause, describing him as one of the main symbols of national liberation. Le Figaro opening defending the French government’s position on Arafat.
Peace and quiet at any cost - it's a French tradition.
UPDATE: As long as I'm taking gratuitous shots at the French, I might as well link to a slightly different opinion. But only slightly different.
