Double Standard

I always get a kick out of the double standard that's imposed on the United States.  We have this unshakable stereotype of being overly insensitive to the international community.  Then along comes Jacques Chirac who says Ariel Sharon is not welcome in France.  Chirac made the comment in retaliation for Sharon urging French Jews to leave the country because Sharon thought there was increasing anti-Semitism in the country (herein known as the "spread of the wildest anti-Semitism").

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Now, there's no doubt that such a comment by Sharon would ruffle some feathers in the French government, but the President of France flat out says "you aren't welcome here"!  unbelievable!  The last time I was met with that level of maturity I was in grade school.  I believe the exact quote was, "shutup, or I'll take my ball and go home."

Does Chirac actually mirror the voice of France?  Are people "down" with this kind of behavior?  Far be it from me claim I have my finger on the pulse of the French community, but here's what I think.  With this calculated statement, the applause and support Chirac gets will offset the number of French citizens it disenfranchises.  Hopefully I'm wrong.

Back to the American double standard.  It's absolutely unthinkable that a President of the United States would say something like this to another president with which he had friendly diplomatic relations.  The backlash from the international community would be overwhelming.  And even more importantly, the American public -and MAYBE even the Reform party- would not stand for it either.  Every country is prone to a certain level of international insensitivity,  but the nonexistent backlash against Chirac (that I've seen so far) puts France on an entirely different level.   And for whatever reason, France is a country that's preceived as being the country that is sensitive to the worlds needs.
 
Maybe it's the halo effect that comes with United States bashing.  Just ask Schröder, that's how he got elected.