President Sarkozy's Vision for a Renewed French-American Relationship

Ten days ago French President Sarkozy spoke to a joint session of the U.S. Congress. My college French is hopelessly rusty. But his enthusiasm for France, his commitment to a French resurgence, his genuine appreciation for America's standing and contributions to the world, and his belief that France and America must stand together as "independent partners" as Lafayette and Washington once did, was unmistakable in any language.

President Sarkozy's meditation on the American contribution to freeing France and the world from tyranny in WWI and WWII was especially poignant.

"And as they listened to their fathers, watched movies, read history books and the letters of soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy and Provence, as they visited the cemeteries where the star-spangled banner flies, the children of my generation understood that these young Americans, 20 years old, were true heroes to whom they owed the fact that they were free people and not slaves. France will never forget the sacrifice of your children.

To those 20-year-old heroes who gave us everything, to the families of those who never returned, to the children who mourned fathers they barely got a chance to know, I want to express France's eternal gratitude.

On behalf of my generation, which did not experience war but knows how much it owes to their courage and their sacrifice; on behalf of our children, who must never forget...I want to express the deep, sincere gratitude of the French people. I want to tell you that whenever an American soldier falls somewhere in the world, I think of what the American army did for France. I think of them and I am sad, as one is sad to lose a member of one's family."

This speech had to be an uncomfortable moment for some the most liberal members of Congress. Their almost visceral disdain for America comes through daily. Now they have lost an "ally" of those in the world that share their views.

France has stagnated economically and politically for too long under the shackles of socialism, unionism and protectionism. President Sarkozy is committed to reverse the decline of France under the likes of Chirac and Mitterand and once again assume a role of prominence in the world.

President Sarkozy concludes with these remarks:

"It is this ambitious France that I have come to present to you today. A France that comes out to meet America to renew the pact of friendship and the alliance that Washington and Lafayette sealed in Yorktown.

Together let us be worthy of their example, let us be equal to their ambition, let us be true to their memories!

Long live the United States of America! Vive la France! Long live French-American friendship!"

The complete text of the speech is available in the link below.

http://www.nysun.com/article/66054?page_no=1