Le Pen the appeaser

VFR’s French translator, Judith, writes:

This is the latest article about Le Pen and it seems to confirm what Michel Gurfinkiel and Denis Greslin (of occidentalis.com) have said , namely that he not only makes anti-Semitic cracks, but that he is an ally of Islam. He really does seem to be Buchanan’s twin (possibly worse, since his party has a shot in the next election). It was noted that his daughter and heir Marine Le Pen was not present at that now infamous [LA note: infamous, because it was taken over the left] rally in Paris for Ilan Halimi. Normally, this wouldn’t mean much, but in view of this new article it seems to be an omen. The only hope the French have is Philippe de Villiers, but it would be a miracle if he won enough votes in the first round of the presidential election to qualify for the second. Already some Muslims are saying they will vote for Le Pen.

Here is the article that Judith has translated for us:

Le Pen “does not see” why Iran should not have atomic weapons

PARIS (Agence France Presse) The president of the National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen, “does not see” why Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons, as pointed out in his March editorial in The French First, the FN’s monthly publication. “I don’t see by what principle one can forbid a state from desiring to master nuclear technology for civil or military purposes,” writes the president of the party of the extreme-right. “Why reproach Ahmadinejad (the Iranian president) for doing what others before him have done? We didn’t fight India or Pakistan or Israel when (…) these countries acquired military nuclear technology,” he went on.

Nuclear weapons are “weapons one does not use, since the one who uses them is certain to be destroyed within a few minutes,” declares the president of the FN. In his editorial, M. Le Pen suggests that world opinion is “white hot” on the issue, because the United States and their “unconditional allies strongly wish for” a war against Iran.

“After the interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is Iran’s turn, so that the oil supplies can be safeguarded, so that Israel can be protected, and perhaps too in order to wage a war of annihilation against Islam, according to the wishes of the evangelical hawks who dominate American institutions,” writes Mr. Le Pen.

In the same text, Le Pen also suggests that the recent international polemic over the Mohammed cartoons is linked to the international iron fist targeting Teheran. “They have to prime world opinion for war” against Iran, and “what better way to do this than a good international argument over Islam,” he states.

I have no idea of where Le Pen is coming from, but wherever it is, it is bad. In the past, I have attempted to be fair to Le Pen, seeking to place his anti-Semitic comments in a broader context in which he did not seem to have an actual anti-Jewish agenda, but, on the contrary, by his wanting to protect Europe from Islam, seemed to be much better for the Jews than his “respectable” dhimmi counterparts in the left-center. But a Western leader—not to mention one who professes to stand for the West against the Islamic takeover of Europe—who derides and dismisses the danger of an insane Islamic regime that is seeking to create nuclear weapons and has threatened to use them, and would certainly use them to intimidate Europe, a French “nationalist” leader who views the cartoon controversy as an American plot to stir up war against Muslims rather than as the most direct expression of the mortal threat Islam poses to Europe, is someone whom I myself dismiss. From this moment forth I forget Le Pen and his party. I look to the development of a European nationalist right that will defend the nations and the civilization of Europe.

Judith replies:

Your comment echos my own opinion. This man’s inner motives are difficult to sort out. Even if he bore a grudge of some sort against the Jews, the move towards an alliance with Islam, however tacit, is extraordinary. His rejection of his own culture and heritage just to gain power, just to get even with those who, he feels, betrayed him, is an incredible betrayal on his part of the millions who have put their faith in him despite his obvious flaws. This makes the job of Philippe de Villiers very clear—he has to discredit Le Pen, in such a way that Le Pen’s loyal base realize that they have been duped and shift their support to de Villiers. Only a miracle can save France.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 13, 2006 12:50 AM | Send