Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys
George Bush was never a great one for laughs - intentionally at least.
But his administration managed to raise a smile or two when they mocked the French for being - 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' - in the build up to the war in Iraq.
Now I like France and the French, generally speaking, - though even I would concede that they can be terribly pretentious and take themselves far too seriously at times.
Witness the uproar in the French press over the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Khan - the now former head of the IMF (International Monetary Fund).
Some of their politicians have got their French knickers is a terrible twist - including former Culture Minister Jack Lang who described DS-K's treatment as a 'lynching' that had 'provoked horror and aroused disgust'.
Before going on to say that the U.S. justice system was 'politicised' and that the judge appeared determined to 'make a Frenchman pay'.
Now that is clearly nonsense - since all the police and courts was doing was to treat a French citizen in exactly the way an American would have been treated - accused of such an appalling crime.
Under the law Dominique Strauss-Khan is regarded as innocent until proved guilty - as he would be in the UK as well - and a jury will ultimately decide the facts of the case.
What is clear is that this powerful and very important man - was not fit to be in such a high profile public position.
At the very least he is 'guilty' of predatory, tom-catting sexual behaviour - while on official business for the IMF.
At the very worst he will be found guilty by a court of law of sexual assault and attempted rape - and sent to jail.
One thing is clearly much worse than the other - but either way this man is not a victim in this whole affair.
And the French are wrong to try and turn his treatment into a 'cause celebre'.
But his administration managed to raise a smile or two when they mocked the French for being - 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' - in the build up to the war in Iraq.
Now I like France and the French, generally speaking, - though even I would concede that they can be terribly pretentious and take themselves far too seriously at times.
Witness the uproar in the French press over the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Khan - the now former head of the IMF (International Monetary Fund).
Some of their politicians have got their French knickers is a terrible twist - including former Culture Minister Jack Lang who described DS-K's treatment as a 'lynching' that had 'provoked horror and aroused disgust'.
Before going on to say that the U.S. justice system was 'politicised' and that the judge appeared determined to 'make a Frenchman pay'.
Now that is clearly nonsense - since all the police and courts was doing was to treat a French citizen in exactly the way an American would have been treated - accused of such an appalling crime.
Under the law Dominique Strauss-Khan is regarded as innocent until proved guilty - as he would be in the UK as well - and a jury will ultimately decide the facts of the case.
What is clear is that this powerful and very important man - was not fit to be in such a high profile public position.
At the very least he is 'guilty' of predatory, tom-catting sexual behaviour - while on official business for the IMF.
At the very worst he will be found guilty by a court of law of sexual assault and attempted rape - and sent to jail.
One thing is clearly much worse than the other - but either way this man is not a victim in this whole affair.
And the French are wrong to try and turn his treatment into a 'cause celebre'.
