The UK Independent reported yesterday that

France faces an acute political crisis this weekend as further evidence accumulates that the President, Jacques Chirac, and his Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, were linked to an intricate attempt to smear their colleague and rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, two years ago.

M. Sarkozy, the Interior Minister and the likely centre—right candidate in next year's presidential election, is said to be close to a decision to resign and turn his guns on the President and Prime Minister."

Chirac and Villepin are devoted to a Napoleonic fantasy of returning France to its glory days by ruling Europe. They hate the United States, and haven't hesitated to say so. De Villepin has written books about it.

There are many clues suggesting that Chirac—Villepin planted the phony documents that allowed Joe Wilson to mount a two—year assault on the Bush Administration, even while the administration is trying to conduct a war. So far the Special Prosecutor has swallowed the Wilson fable hook, line and sinker. Scooter LIbby is in the dock for supposedly lying about a non—crime, and Karl Rove is said to be in the gunsights just as the 2006 Congressional elections are gearing up. The Wilson—Plame conspiracy is alive and cooking, aiming to decapitate the GOP political leadership.

What is interesting is that the "French Watergate," as the newspaper are calling it, used exactly the same disinformation ploy that was used in the Wilson—Plame affair.

If Sarkozy wins this battle, it is at least possible that the French Connection might become public.

One can hope.

James Lewis   5 14 06