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Sources Say Sarkozy Finds Obama's Iran Policy ‘Arrogant,’ ‘Utterly Immature’

October 28, 2008 11:39 AM

The respected Israeli newspaper Ha'artez reports that according to a "senior Israeli government source, the reports reaching Israel indicate that Sarkozy views the Democratic candidate's stance on Iran as 'utterly immature' and comprised of 'formulations empty of all content.'"

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., met with Sarkozy in July and they are said to have discussed Iran at length.

French authorities are said to be concerned that the international community doesn't take the Iranian threat seriously enough. French intelligence has concluded that Iran has already obtained up to 40% of the enriched uranium it needs for a bomb, the newspaper reports, and will have obtained the rest next summer.

"According to the reports reaching Israel, Sarkozy told Obama at that meeting that if the new American president elected in November changed his country's policy toward Iran, that would be 'very problematic,'" Ha'aretz reports. "Until now, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany have tried to maintain a united front on Iran. But according to the senior Israeli source, Sarkozy fears that Obama might 'arrogantly' ignore the other members of this front and open a direct dialogue with Iran without preconditions."

The Obama campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

-- jpt

UPDATE: The Obama campaign passes along this comment from a spokesman for the French government: "The remarks attributed by the newspaper Haaretz to the President of the French Republic concerning Senator Obama's positions on Iran are groundless. To the contrary, the in-depth discussions between the President of the Republic and Senator Obama on Iran during their meeting in Paris in July demonstrated a broad convergence of views on this issue. President Sarkozy and Senator Obama agree to oppose Iran's development of a military nuclear capability."

October 28, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (142)

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Of course Obama is on Iran's side.

Posted by: gastonlafayette | Oct 29, 2008 1:01:58 AM

OUI!! From the Cajun band Poor James:
Obama No Merci Beaucoup.
He's never met a tax that he didn't like.
He hangs around with crazys like Rev. Wright
He'll give away the farm without a fight.
Obama No Merci Beaucoup.

OBAMA NO MERCI BEAUCOUP.
OBAMA WANTS MY CHANGE AND MY DOLLARS
OBAMA SPARE MY WEALTH!!!


Posted by: Deborah | Oct 28, 2008 11:44:46 PM

Obama and Biden both have been arrogant lately. Started two weeks in advance preparing a 2-3 million dollar victory reception. And what if...


McCain for president!

Posted by: baybay | Oct 28, 2008 11:18:16 PM

Getting the picture yet???

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 28, 2008 10:19:58 PM

Household Income, 2006 Total People Percent
Less than $49,999 57,218,480 51%
$50,000 to $74,999 21,221,889 19%
$75,000 to $99,999 13,214,551 12%
$100,000 to $199,999 16,145,482 14%
$200,000 or more 3,817,000 3%

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 28, 2008 10:17:47 PM

So, a French politician wants to sound tough and McCain supporters use it as a reason to cry against Obama. Anyone recall the beating France took in our Media when they did NOT go to Iraq with us? All the insults you kids are tossing at Obama are about the same as the ones hurled at the French government back then.

Posted by: mitch | Oct 28, 2008 10:05:52 PM

Here is a breakdown of incomes in the US
250,000 is in the top 5%. Hardly middle income

Gross Income Americans % of Population
$1 - $50,000 92,594,960 71.185%
$50,000 - $75,000 17,396,916 13.374%
$75,000 - $100,000 9,247,839 7.110%
$100,000 - $200,000 8,422,603 6.475%
$200,000 - $500,000 1,908,466 1.467%
$500,000 - $1,000,000 336,684 0.259%
$1,000,000 - $1,500,000 78,121 0.060%
$1,500,000 - $2,000,000 31,316 0.024%
$2,000,000 - $5,000,000 44,205 0.034%
$5,000,000 - $10,000,000 10,026 0.008%
$10,000,000 + 5,309 0.004%

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 28, 2008 10:05:27 PM

deregulation was signed in 1999 by none other than clinton himself....next...

iraq was the right choice, the pretext was the wrong choice. but you can blame the UN for that. did hussein have a reactor in 1981? yes. the israelis bombed it. did hussein chemically erase the whole town of halabja? yes. was he in violation of more than 15 UN sanctions before any action was taken? yes. was he circumventing the oil for food and medicine program with the help of kofi annans son and redistributing it to his military and weapons programs? yes. The point is, europe is weak, totally left, never wants to foot it's own bill...russia is vying for it's own hegemony and resurgance under kgb ex's...china needs irans oil...etc...and so the UN would never have passed a resolution to go into iraq despite all of these known violations..and so the bush team developed the silly pretext knowing it to be false so that despite the toothless UN, they would at least do the right thing even if some other countries didn't have the will or the guts. To the democrats great shame, they all decided to swing to the hard left for political expediency rather than do what was right for the bloody country and world. I call that treasonous.

Posted by: jon | Oct 28, 2008 9:42:07 PM

Sounds like Sarkozy is not only describing Obama's Iran's policy, but also Obama himself and his campaign promises:
Utterly immature. Comprised of formulations empty of all content. Arrogant.
Well said, Mr. Sarkozy.

Posted by: Donoke9_10 | Oct 28, 2008 9:02:44 PM

Hmmm, so these folks on this blog are under the opinion that the erratic one can handle foreign policy affairs, who forgot Spain was a Ally, who suspended (not really his campaign) because after he forgot that our economy was not fundamentally strong,,,moreover and PTA hockey mom who can see Russia out her back door would be a shoo in to handle Iran, right the non intellectual, who is on the trail talking about her wardrobe expenses with Mz Bimbo Hesselbeck of the View! A hearbeat away from the Presidency with a candidate who appears to exhibit signs of dementia and the the judgment of choosing PTAlin over the US was at best treasonous, and incomprehensible. Yah sounds about right, and they question Obama's ability? And he is the messiah? Well, she had witchcraft exorcisms in church. I guess his endorsements which excel over McPOW's and folks jumping off this sinking titanic see what the folks with blinders don't, his VP (very poor)pick. Maybe the naysayers and fans of Sarah should borrow HockeyPTA Saks Fifth Annie's telescope, afterall from her back door of Alaska, why she can see her future in 2016. By then she can read up on how to become the POTUS on her terms, rather than to be thrust out in the public as a cheap stunt! Serves McPOW and campaign right for a cruel hoax! History won't be kind for this joke!

Posted by: Kay | Oct 28, 2008 8:40:02 PM

Sarkozy is right. Obama is a socialst With NO fo policy experience. How did this idiot get this far? (he probably rigged it)


McCAIN/PALIN 08

Posted by: Nobama | Oct 28, 2008 6:24:59 PM

OK,I can understand why the original source to the Israeli paper was anonymous, but why is the Obama defense anonymous?

Posted by: Mike S | Oct 28, 2008 6:21:00 PM

Ask Joe Biden...
He knows it!

Posted by: crisis08 | Oct 28, 2008 5:54:04 PM

It sounds like some of the Obama supporters don't like hearing that their candidate is being called out as "arrogant" by foreign leaders, which is something a large number of voters have been telling him all along.

He may be elected, but he won't be representing the US as a whole. That's his own fault.

Posted by: SoCalArmyBrat | Oct 28, 2008 5:44:05 PM

A.

Swing.

And.

A.

Miss.

Posted by: TexasLou | Oct 28, 2008 5:33:30 PM

LOL, a Frenchman has the gaul (pun intended) to label someone here as "arrogant?" What a joke. Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black.

Posted by: William J. LePetomaine | Oct 28, 2008 5:12:46 PM

Oh, for crying out loud. Do you folks have a reading comprehension problem? The story is that an Israeli newspaper quoted an unidentified Israeli official who heard an unconfirmed rumor through unidentified sources... yada yada yada, blah blah blah.

Posted by: Yukon Sam | Oct 28, 2008 5:11:54 PM

"LA Times Refuses to Release Tape of Obama Praising Controversial Activist
Video of farewell party for alleged PLO worker shows Obama toasting 'friend and dinner companion' with questionable past."

The Los Angeles Times needs to put forth this tape please. It is anti-American NOT TO HAND OVER THE TAPE.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE IT AND SEE WHO EXACTLY OBAMA AND HIS WIFE ARE ASSOCIATING WITH.

Posted by: ml | Oct 28, 2008 5:11:07 PM

Yeah right,
So much for Sakorzy's expertise in international relations.What did France ever accomplish strategically without America's help in the last 60 something years.We had to dig them out of the pit in WWII and they gave us no credit for it.If America must continue to lead in the 21st century why would Obama not have a proactive approach in dealing with Iran,which others can buy into in subsequent deliberations? So much noise about nothing.

Posted by: EyesWideOpen | Oct 28, 2008 5:08:18 PM

Sarkozy the same as endorsed Obama when he was in France.

Did anyone watch the joint news conference?

Obama/Sarkozy, July 25, 2008, Part 1

Posted by: Julie | Oct 28, 2008 5:01:22 PM

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