Tuesday
(0)In the leafy suburb of Clamart to the South-West of Paris, the rumor is breaking that Jacques Chirac's second favourite Arab (after Saddam Hussein) is dead.
CNN reports that Yasser Arafat has passed away this afternoon after spending a week in a coma.
Meanwhile in the Ivory Coast, demonstrators are parading banners that exclaim:
"Chirac is an assassin" and "Chirac= worse than Bin Laden" [thanks to millena at les libertariens, the French Libertarian newsgroup]
I thought the rednecks were all in the red states of the USA? ;-)
Nice one, Stephen Pollard:
Yasser Arafat is lying on his death bed wearing a Newcastle shirt, Spurs shorts and Lazio socks. His last wish was to be buried in the Gazza strip.
As for Chiraq, I couldn't put it better than The England Project:
I hope that France takes this opportunity to reach out and engage with the international community so that a peaceful conclusion to this problem can be reached.
The anti-French feeling among many African citizens is a product of French colonialism and France needs to look more closely at its expansionist agenda so that it may avert an increase in its unpopularity abroad.
Posted by Pete_London at November 9, 2004 02:33 PM
Pete, why so narrow?
How about the anti-frog feelng among many American citizens?
Posted by Sandy P at November 9, 2004 03:54 PM
I love the scare quotes around the word dead. Classic Reuters. I predict more scare quotes from Reuters in the years ahead around such words as "terrorist" and "embezzling aid money."
Posted by Scipio at November 9, 2004 04:05 PM
Dear Antoine,
Don't you think you could wait until Arafat is definately dead before you gloat over his death. Gloating over someones death is distasteful enough yet it seems even more distasteful to gloat over a death that has yet to happen, but is probably inevitable.
P.S.
I am not a fan of the guy.
Posted by Della at November 9, 2004 04:57 PM
Della, I am fascinated with your statement that Arafat's death is "probably" inevitable. Do you, or the old butcher, know something (or Somebody) we don't?
Arafat is on a very short list of people who deserve to have their death gloated over while the body is still warm, for years afterward, and hopefully to his face just before he dies.
Wherever he is laid to rest, I hope to visit someday. With a full bladder.
Posted by R C Dean at November 9, 2004 05:38 PM
Gloating over someones death is distasteful enough yet it seems even more distasteful to gloat over a death that has yet to happen
Does it? Oh well, Give him some for me, RCD.
Posted by Pete_London at November 9, 2004 06:02 PM
Della -- I'd bet good money Yasser has been dead for days, and has been stuffed in a refrigerator while the alpha Palestinians fight over the keys to the numbered bank accounts. Even if he isn't, there's nothing unseemly about celebrating the demise of a mass-murderer. I hope the last thing he ever hears is a victim's relative spitting curses into his face.
Posted by Mike at November 9, 2004 06:16 PM
You know, every time I hear about Jacques Chirac I can't help but think of the Looney Tunes character Blaque Jacque Shellaque.
Posted by David Beatty at November 9, 2004 07:37 PM
First they lose Saddam , then they lose Kerry, and now Arafat is pining for the Fiords. Recent history has been rough on our French friends.
Even worse, in Africa some of the 'Petits Freres Noirs" are getting a bit tired of their oh so elegant overlords.
More than ever they need America to hate, it keeps them warm.
Posted by spacer (New York) at November 9, 2004 07:53 PM
"Yasser Arafat remains in a serious condition". So he's still dead then?
Posted by Andrew K at November 9, 2004 09:10 PM
Personally I fully applaud Chirac's actions in Ivory Coast . 9 of your troops get shot by "rebels" - you wipe out their entire airforce and take down anyone seen as hostile, in this case 50 so-called 'innocent' protestors apparently protesting about the wiful destruction of government property (2x Sukhoi SU25 and 5 helicopters) by French Airforce Rafale fighterbombers.
My only complaint against the action is that the price of Gu chocolate mousse will undoubtedly rise - Ivory Coast produces approximately 45% of the world's cocoa.
Posted by Julian Taylor at November 9, 2004 11:32 PM
Oh my god, they can't fuck with the chocolate supply!C'est terrible! The spice must flow and all that.
Posted by David Mercer at November 10, 2004 01:27 AM
One more thing, given the outpouring of love and respect for Arafat in the French Press. A man whose whole life has been devoted to killing Jews. How can anyone seriously doubt that France is a nations full of anti semites?
Posted by spacer (New York) at November 10, 2004 01:43 PM
Here's a funny link: (Link) discussing the disposition of Arafat's body after his final farewell death.
Posted by Verity at November 10, 2004 07:49 PM
