A near-confession from Jacques Chirac?

We have previously suggested that Jacques Chirac and his shark—like sidekick Villepin deliberately provoked the assault on the Bush presidency by Val Plame and Joe Wilson, by planting a plainly forged "Niger uranium document" with then—SecState Colin Powell. We used the phony Niger uranium document to bolster the US case against Saddam at the runup to the Iraq War, and then the French triumphantly pulled out the rug from under him by announcing that the forged doc was a forged doc!

We know that the Jacques & Dominique comedy duo had the means, the motive and the opportunity. Now it looks like they may have pulled another forgery stunt just like it against their chief domestic enemy, Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is running for president of France against Villepin.

In what is being called the "French Watergate," forged accusations of corruption were lodged against Sarkozy. These were proven to be false by the French magistrates to whom they had been sent. They then started to investigate the source of the forged leak.... (Sound familiar already?) Yes, again, Chirac and Villepin had the motive, means, and opportunity.

Unfortunately for Jacque & Dominique, somebody squealed ——— the intelligence chief they ordered to carry out the investigation into Sarkozy. The Daily Telegraph of London reports: 

President Jacques Chirac yesterday denied any link to a corruption inquiry that wrongly targeted his rival and would—be successor, France's interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr Chirac has been dragged into the so—called Clearstream scandal, with his prime minister, Dominique de Villepin. Both issued statements indignantly rejecting suggestions they did anything to smear any individual. Mr de Villepin, who frequently clashes with Mr Sarkozy even though they hold the top two positions in government, denied asking for Mr Sarkozy to be investigated. But his claim has been challenged by the intelligence chief he ordered to carry out an inquiry into the scandal....Speculation has been mounting that his office may be raided as investigating judges try to unmask the author of poison pen communications identifying Mr Sarkozy and other prominent figures as holders of secret accounts at Clearstream, a Luxembourg—based bank. Mr de Villepin is alleged by Le Monde newspaper to have cited Mr Chirac's authority when ordering, as foreign minister, the French intelligence service inquiry.

What is particularly delightful about the biter being bit in the ongoing saga of Chirac corruption, is that Chirac immediately accused the Americans of forging the accusations against Sarkozy Which would not make much sense — Sarkozy is much more pro—American than Chirac & Villepin.

Unless you are in the habit of pulling stunts like that, having just accomplished an op that triggered a domestic firestorm in the United States in the Plame—Wilson farce. Then it would make sense, to the French political mind, as a revenge move.

Revenge and feuds are a standard part of the French style, in politics and elsewhere.  Taking revenge is an accepted tactic. (US politicians do it too, but don't boast about it.) So it would be natural for Chirac to explain to his accusers that the Sarkozy forgery is just an American act of revenge.

But for what? Ah, there we have you, M. le President.

It's not proof, but it may be about as close as we'll ever get to a full and complete confession.

James Lewis    5 02 06