Epstein Secrets

rn leaders once again found themselves committing to military action, this time in Libya - Mr Obama with evident reluctance, Mr Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France with apparent enthusiasm. The Libyan war illustrates how unfolding events can force a political leader's hand. That could still happen in S

dent reluctance, Mr Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France with apparent enthusiasm. The Libyan wa

wandan genocide of 1994 and over the many years of dithering as lives were lost in the Balkans. But a series of apparently successful interventions - Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone - gradually strengthened the belief that western military power could be used to end conflicts and save civilians.

French view is persuasive. Then along came the Iran nuclear dossier, a subject on which successive French presidents — from Jacques Chirac through Nicolas Sarkozy to Hollande — have had a consistent view: The Islamic Republic wants a bomb; only a tough approach will stop it. Once again the French had the fee

presidents — from Jacques Chirac through Nicolas Sarkozy to Hollande — have had a consistent view: The Is

cs say talks in Geneva are becoming a substitute for real policy, with no concerted plan to stop the war. Some analysts compare this to the 1992-95 Bosnia war, where meandering prolonged talks failed to stop fighting until NATO air strikes against Serb forces in the late summer of 1995. EFTA00707117

icials, "If we drown, we'll drown everyone with us." The Iranian regime is prepared to fight until the end. Many foreign leaders, such as France's Nicholas Sarkozy are also very worried about the implications of a potential military conflict with Iran. As EFTA00660749 reported by the German publication Spieg

ial military conflict with Iran. As EFTA00660749 reported by the German publication Spiegel, during his New Year's address to diplomats in Paris, Sarkozy stated, "A military intervention [in Iran] would not solve the problem [of Iran's nuclear program], but would trigger war and chaos in the Middle E

e reality of what has happened to other multiethnic societies when authoritarian regimes have collapsed does not provide a comforting track record. Bosnia today has made little progress in overcoming its divisions, despite billions of dollars in aid and massive Western state-building efforts followin

ome a series of tests, for players and pundits, from Tripoli to Paris, from London to Washington. GLOBAL REACTION Next week, the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, will host a gathering of Libyan and intemational officials in one of Paris' gilded conference rooms. The French leader's diplomacy will be measure

EACTION Next week, the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, will host a gathering of Libyan and intemationa

wn up with help from US, British, Canadian and United Nations experts to "incorporate lessons and best practices from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Bosnia". THE REBELS Some analysts believe there are sufficient "losers" and weapons in post-Gaddafi Libya to stand an insurgency. This could become more

ficials, "If we drown, we'll drown everyone with us." The Iranian regime is prepared to fight until the end. Many foreign leaders, such as France's Nicholas Sarkozy are also very worried about the implications of a potential military conflict with Iran. As reported by the German publication Spiegel, during his

ns of a potential military conflict with Iran. As reported by the German publication Spiegel, during his New Year's address to diplomats in Paris, Sarkozy stated, "A military intervention [in Iran] would not solve the problem [of Iran's nuclear program], but would trigger war and chaos in the Middle E

e reality of what has happened to other multiethnic societies when authoritarian regimes have collapsed does not provide a comforting track record. Bosnia today has made little progress in overcoming its divisions, despite billions of dollars in aid and massive Western state-building efforts followin

EFTA02360452 22 • In a U-turn on its previous policy on Libya, France -- which has recently re-engaged itself as a NATO partner under President Nicolas Sarkozy -- conducted military air strikes on its own while NATO foreign ministers meeting in Paris were still discussing whether NATO should take over comm

Libya from the United States. Previously, France had sought to keep NATO out of Libya for as long as possible, to provide a unique opportunity for Sarkozy to bolster his domestic standing in the run-up to French presidential elections next year. • Recently, NATO partner Turkey has begun to see it as

e visibly against demonstrators. Some of the images reaching the world from these countries are not too different from the images that came out of Bosnia at the time of the Serbian Chetniks attacks during the breakup of Yugoslavia. The people in the cities under siege or under attack in Libya and Sy