Research Briefing

After Early Snubs, French President Nicholas Sarkozy Has Been Regular Critic Of Obama’s Shaky First Year On World Stage

AS HE MEETS WITH SARKOZY TODAY, IT’S OBVIOUS THAT OBAMA “DOESN’T PAY MUCH ATTENTION” TO IMPORTANT ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD: “Obama can hardly count on gaining the support of allies, partly because he doesn't pay much attention to them. The American president doesn't have a single strong ally among European heads of state.” (Gregor Peter Schmitz, Christoph Schult and Bernhard Zand, “Obama Unites Israelis And Arabs In Disappointment,” Der Spiegel, 3/15/10)

SARKOZY HAS BLASTED OBAMA’S NAÏVE APPROACH TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS

During 2008 Campaign, President Sarkozy Called Obama’s Stance On Iran “Utterly Immature” And “Empty Of All Content.” “French President Nicolas Sarkozy is very critical of U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama’s positions on Iran, according to reports that have reached Israel’s government… Sarkozy has made his criticisms only in closed forums in France. But according to a senior Israeli government source, the reports reaching Israel indicate that Sarkozy views the Democratic candidate’s stance on Iran as ‘utterly immature’ and comprised of ‘formulations empty of all content.’” (Barak Ravid, “Sources: Sarkozy Views Obama Stance On Iran As ‘Utterly Immature’,” Haaretz, 10/28/08)

Now Sarkozy Growing “Frustrated” With Obama’s Approach To Iran. “President Obama wants a unified front against Iran, and to that end he stood together with Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown in Pittsburgh on Friday morning to reveal the news about Tehran’s secret facility to build bomb-grade fuel. But now we hear that the French and British leaders were quietly seething on stage, annoyed by America’s handling of the announcement… President Sarkozy in particular pushed hard. He had been ‘frustrated’ for months about Mr. Obama’s reluctance to confront Iran, a senior French government official told us, and saw an opportunity to change momentum. But the Administration told the French that it didn’t want to ‘spoil the image of success’ for Mr. Obama’s debut at the U.N. and his homily calling for a world without nuclear weapons, according to the Paris daily Le Monde.” (Editorial, “French Atomic Pique,” The Wall Street Journal 9/29/09)

• Sarkozy: “We Supported President Obama’s Extended Hand To Iran’s Leaders, But This Hand Cannot Remain Extended Indefinitely With Leaders Who Do Not Respond.” (Edward Cody, “France Toughens Stance On Iran,” The Washington Post, 10/1/09)

As President Sarkozy’s Iran Policy is “Often Out Ahead Of The Obama Administration.” “Under President Nicolas Sarkozy, France has adopted an increasingly hard-edged approach to Iran, often out ahead of the Obama administration with uncompromising language criticizing Iranian leaders and warning that their nuclear program threatens world peace.” (Edward Cody, “France Toughens Stance On Iran,” The Washington Post, 10/1/09)

Sarkozy Mocked Obama’s Naïve Approach To Nuclear Weapons, Telling United Nations “We Live In A Real World Not A Virtual World.”  “Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, came close to mocking his American counterpart for the good intentions, which Mr Obama had heralded as an ‘historic’ step towards nuclear abolition, even though it set no specific targets or fresh mandates. ‘We live in a real world not a virtual world… And the real world expects us to take decisions. President Obama dreams of a world without weapons ... but right in front of us two countries are doing the exact opposite.’” (Alex Spillius, “UN Leaders Back Nuclear Resolution But Grow Impatient With Iran,” Telegraph, 9/24/09)

AND AFTER OBAMA SQUANDERED GOODWILL WITH THE FRENCH PRESIDENT …

Newsweek: “Sometimes Unclear If Obama Even Notices” President Sarkozy. “In fact, relations between the two leaders have been far from ideal or always effective. It’s sometimes unclear if Obama even notices his hyperkinetic counterpart… Obama, smiling but aloof, treats Sarkozy as one of many not-quite-equals in Europe.” (Christopher Dickey, “Sarkozy’s Obama Envy,” Newsweek, 9/26/09)

In April, President Sarkozy “Livid” Over Letter Obama Wrote To Political Rival Jacques Chirac Before G-20 Summit. “How irritating it must have been for Sarkozy to read French press reports last month that revealed Bush’s successor Obama had written a private letter to Chirac ahead of the London G-20 summit. In it, Obama tells Chirac he anticipates their chances to ‘collaborate together in a spirit of peace and friendship in order to build a safer world.’… According to French press reports, Sarkozy was livid at seeing the star of world politics reach out to his longtime foe.” (Bruce Crumley, “Mon Dieu! Chirac More Popular Than Sarkozy,” Time, 4/16/09) 

In June, Obama Declined Dinner Invitation From President Sarkozy In Paris. “The Obamas turn up in Paris this evening, but have declined a dinner invitation from the couple next door: the Sarkozys. President Obama’s reluctance to spend more than minimum time with the French leader on his visit for the D-Day anniversary has come as an embarrassment to the Elysée Palace. America’s First Family will not be dining with President Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, even though they are staying at the residence of the US Ambassador, yards from the Elysée apartments where the Sarkozys spend their weekends.” (Charles Bremner, “Barack And Michelle Obama Decline Dinner With The Sarkozys,” Times Online, 6/5/09)

SARKOZY NOW OPENLY CRITICAL OF OBAMA’S LACK OF LEADERSHIP

Sarkozy Adviser Calls Obama “Charming And Accommodating” But Not A “Strong Leader In A Crisis.”  ”I think [Obama] has a dark side, like  Carter. He is charming and accommodating, but I’m not sure this is a very strong leader in a crisis. I was very upset when he has withdrawn the missile shield without asking for concessions to the Russians! There is no free gift to the Russians, that is basic. On Iran, I think it was the Europeans who are right.” (Marc Lomazzi & Nathalie Schuck, “Il Ne Faut Surtout Pas Augmenter Les Impôts,” Le Parisien, 12/27/09)

Sarkozy Now Openly Critical Of Obama, “Whether In Cabinet Or In Front Of Visitors.” “‘Obama has been in power for a year and has already lost three elections. I’ve won two parliamentary and European. What would you say if I lost?’ Far from being anecdotal, the bad feelings towards his American counterpart has become almost structural in Nicolas Sarkozy. ‘Whenever he can criticize, he does, whether in Cabinet or in front of visitors,’ said a person with knowledge of French diplomacy said, under cover of anonymity.” (Sylvain Besson, “La Hargne De Sarkozy Envers Obama,” Le Monde, 2/1/10)

Saying Obama “Seriously Lacking In Hands-On Experience Of Government And Not Yet Up To Speed.” “Despite staunch denials, French President Nicolas Sarkozy came under attack Friday for allegedly saying US leader Barack Obama was not ‘up to standard…’ The right-wing president, who has a reputation for blunt talking, reportedly suggested that the new US president was seriously lacking in hands-on experience of government and not yet up to speed… ‘Obama has a subtle mind, very clever and very charismatic,’ Sarkozy was quoted as saying by a parliamentarian in the left-wing Liberation daily. ‘But he was elected two months ago and had never run a ministry.’… ‘And he is not always up to standard on decision-making and efficiency,’ he reportedly said.” (“Sarkozy Under Fire Over ‘Criticism’ Of World Leaders,” AFP, 4/17/09)