A ‘Grand Séducteur,’ With Politicians and the Press

It is sad that when politicians speak the truth, they are basically smacked by the press into towing a fake line. Chirac was right the first time; ideally, no nation should have or want nuclear weapons; however, as many countries already do, why shouldn't Iran? Are its rulers crazier or more evil than Trump, Putin, Netanyahu, or Kim Jong-un? Chirac was right in feeling that Iran would never use the weapon as neither would any other country at this point. Any government sane or otherwise knows that to unleash a nuclear weapon equals its own demise, especially in close quarters such as Europe or the Middle East. To prohibit the development of nuclear weapons only takes away the prerogative of having a big stick to wave around in order to intimidate foes.

You refer to Algerians as "former countrymen" of Chirac. They were formerly colonized people of France. There is a difference. Colonialism inflicted much harm, including its lack of egalitarianism. That's why there had been an Algerian war of independence.

You refer to Algerians as Chirac's former countrymen. Those who were colonized would disagree that the colonialists ever thought of them as countrymen or treated them as equals.

What you write is certainly of interest and contributes to understanding Chirac, especially for Americans not familiar with the many details of his Presidency. Unfortunately, in the end, he was revealed to be a corrupt politician. His demonstrable charm notwithstanding, a crook is still a crook . . . but let's not forget that crooks can also do good deeds. However if what Repatriate writes is true, that "British intelligence [stated] that he very likely received enormous sums from Saddam Hussein to remain neutral in the Iraq conflict" then this is far more important than his skill (or lack thereof) in the art of kissing air and not hand. If he was bribed (is there any other way to state it?) then all the 'fond' memories of him opposing the Iraq war truly need to be re-evaluated as does his legacy.

Elaine, You were my reality check during your years covering Paris, and I was tremendously grateful for your independent voice keeping a careful distance from the Elysee. I, too, loved Chirac's public image, which nevertheless hid a lack of scruples and ruthlessness in his personal and political lives. Now we hear from the former head of British intelligence that he very likely received enormous sums from Saddam Hussein to remain neutral in the Iraq conflict. To readers praising Chirac for his "principled" opposition to the Iraq war, one wonders what they make of the more, shall we say, practical reasons for his stance: not only the possibility of financial corruption but also the enormous and restive Muslim population of his country. Or was he just an angel?

I agree with Angelo. M Chirac, 75 and , so the report says, rather distracted, spoke out of turn, caught himself, and retracted. Insisting on on or off the record is a bit much, considering the powder keg the Middle East has always been. Chirac’s position on the Iraq war far outweighs the reporter’s somewhat self-centered account of her contretemps, which has something of the school yard about it.

This is an excellent article with great insights into the man -- charm, energy, scheming, warts and all. I do hope you continue doing the same with today's politicians.

Jacque Chirac was an elegant man and very, very French. For his warmth, elegance and being very, very French, the French loved him. Still do Thousands of ordinary French lined up today in front of Les Invalides to render to him last honors. And the line, so long that it had to be extended by the French government throughout the night, is still going. He will be missed. RIP

Madame Sciolino did what a reporter is supposed to do: get it right, tell it straight. Kudos to her and her peers for continuing to do so in an increasingly toxic atmosphere. Next year will be a real test not only for journalists but for everybody.

This story looks like a story about yourself more than about Jacques Chirac. You pretend that he was not mysterious or intellectual. He just did not want people to see the intellectual side of a person who had deep interest and knowledge about poetry and asian culture, both Chinese and Japanese. That side of his personality would have been more interesting to read than a description of the distance between his lips and your hand.

I don’t have a journalistic background. My rule in buisiness, is that I hold people to their written word and I consider the spoken word, as thinking out loud. It gets the benefit of the doubt - Unless we shake hands and both declare deal. Someone who interviewed me and didn’t abide by that, would be deemed as unscrupulous. Sorry, just my experience and opinion.

From my vantage point Chirac was a schemer using charm when it worked and temper when he didn’t get his way. He also felt he was above the law judging by how he mishandled government funds when he was Paris mayor. He fooled the French voters with charm and then kicked back in his second term as president. But he was still my hero when he fought to stop Bush and the Iraq war. That was the high point of his career.

Thank you for sharing tour memories. And now people will lay off Joe Biden for his folksy hugs :)

Unlike Charles de Gaulle and François Mitterrand who maintained the fiction that the République française had not collaborated with the Nazis (It was L'État Vichy after all) and that, as a consequence, no apology was necessary to French Jews for the cooperation of the French Government and the French police in the extermination of thousands of their community, Jacques Chirac finally made a formal apology acknowledging this all too obvious historical fact.

I was not a big fan of Chirac, but saying No to Bush, no to a war with Iraq was a remarquable position.Chirac was for "the droit" Bush for "la force" After so many years, so many dead, such a mess in the Middle East, I will always thank Chirac. To go back to mme Sciolino "paper" what Chirac told her on or off has some sense. talking about Israel is always difficult, but not at the expense of the true .

"Jacques Chirac will be remembered by many people for his refusal to join the American war against Iraq in 2003 and his failure to revive a weak French economy." Yes, I unfortunately agree with the author that this is how Chirac will be remembered. But what he should really be remembered for is his role as French prime minister in selling a nuclear reactor to Saddam Hussein in the 1970s, the Osirak reactor later destroyed by the Israeli air force before it could become operational. The sale of the reactor was instrumental in Saddam's plan to begin development of an Iraqi nuclear expertise that could eventually produce nuclear weapons. In the 1980s, a lot of people displayed bumper stickers reading "One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day". Saddam was trying to acquire nukes. The embargo placed on Iraq after the 1990-1 Persian Gulf War made it extremely difficult for him to pursue this goal. Over time, people demanded the end of the embargo, many of them people who had earlier displayed anti-nuke bumper stickers. Later still, these people opposed the 2003 Iraq War and lauded Jacques Chirac for opposing Bush and Blair's campaign to depose Saddam. But few or none of these antiwar-anti nuclear weapon protesters ever criticized Chirac for giving Saddam his initial expertise in nuclear power. Inconsistent to say the least.

class and charm- where did we go wrong?