Epstein Secrets

a 11cl-stein 1 Dec 2013 -- In the last few years, France has asserted herself on the international scene in a very active way—first under President Nicolas Sarkozy and then even more under President Francois Hollande. She led the way among Western powers to intervene in Libya in order to oust Muammar Khaddafi.

etting stronger within France. One of its leading figures, Bernard Kouchner (founder of Doctors Without Borders), had been a foreign minister under Sarkozy. Another leading figure, Bernard-Henri Levy, played a formidable pressure role on governmental politics under Sarkozy and still does under Hollande

is somehow part of its campaign of resistance, the group may try to draw Israel into sporadic and contained exchanges along the Lebanese or Syrian (Golan) borders. With a focus on Lebanon's Sunnis and Shiites, David Schenker explains that while the two constituencies have shown remarkable restraint s

dential election is instructive. One poll found that a remarkable 93 percent of Muslim voters went for Francois Hollande, while 7 percent voted for Nicolas Sarkozy; another leading poll found that Hollande got 85 percent. The usual estimate is that there are 2 million Muslim voters in France; if 85 percent of

llion Muslim voters in France; if 85 percent of them supported Hollande, that translates to 1.7 million votes. As Hollande's margin of victory over Sarkozy was 1.1 million votes, the impact of the Muslim voters was clear. This is a point well worth remembering when Europeans condescendingly point to U

em but divided over what to do with its newfound gains. Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982 and from Gaza in 2007, and no one is discussing the Golan these days due to Syria's internal crisis. But the future of Jerusalem and the West Bank remains a matter of intense international -- including Ame

toric interest in Syria is France. When the Brits established their 20th century empire in Iraq, France did it in Syria (and Lebanon). In any case, Sarkozy plays his hands very carefully and chintzily. Libya is all it can handle now and, of course, Libya is also closer to home. .. but not as close as i

ficient cachet with the Damascus dictator. So, rather than pressing Syria to stop its arms deliveries to Hezbollah, it began to press Israel on the Golan. Why Obama thought the Golan Heights could be the big opener in the peace process is anybody's guess. The fact is that the Palestinians do not car