Hillary & Nick: A Love Story

There's been a lot of fun talk lately about the American part of the Libyan war being an all-girl effort, with a trio of powerful women (Hillary Clinton, Samantha Power and Susan Rice) goading a wimpy president into firing some manly-man missiles into Libya. The very name of the operation -- "Odyssey Dawn" -- is girly, not to mention Homerically rosy-fingered and goddess-like.

And since the very name "Clinton" immediately conjures up images of triangles amidst the flowers of war, this seems like a good time to bring up a uselessly speculative Eternal Triangle. I am talking about Hillary, Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Nick's gorgeous trophy wife, Carla Bruni.  (Obama is a mere fourth wheel in this guessing game). I am tired of the rants for and against this latest exercise in bellicosity, from all across the political spectrum.  It's really too early to judge whether the Libyan intervention is an opportunistic, CIA-enabled ploy to seize control of oil fields (where did rebels obtain all that weaponry for their civil war?) or an altruistic humanitarian effort to save thousands of innocents from slaughter.  So I will reserve judgment.  Meantime, how about some trash talk to fill in the vacuum of the endless video loops of twisted metal and shots of a black sky with backlit palm trees and the occasional flying missile that CNN is entertaining us with.



Is She Playing Him?



First, some background. Sarkozy's poll numbers at home are in the toilet, and the embarrassment of the Tunisian Revolution catching him totally off guard didn't help.  France has a long imperialistic history with Tunisia, where French is the second language. Sarkozy, according to "Politico", desperately needs something to help him keep hold of his office.  Since he and Britain were planning some Air Force war games this week anyway, what better time to start a real war? They were in the neighborhood.  Pure coincidence.  How serendipitous that K-Daffy would just now begin persecuting his own people!



But Nick needs cover for his grand imperialistic adventure -- and here's where une femme d'un certain age, Mme Clinton, comes in. Have you seen the pics of Nick and Hill together?  They're embarrassing and endearing at the same time.  Madame Secretary is positively aglow.  The two of them giggle, whisper, rub noses.  Sarkozy breathes French into her ear.  Now, look at Hillary and Barry together. Not exactly a testimonial to eHarmony.com., is it?  I count zero levels of compatibility.  This is not a date that ended well, let alone a match made in heaven.

I Like You Well Enough, Hillary

 

  Hillary, previously opposed to any American intervention in Libya, caves like a limp Obama after the Sarkozy tryst meeting, and rushes through a multilateral UN resolution.  And Obama. ever the eager appeaser, be it with a Republican Congress or foreign leaders, caves like .... well, you know.   He knows the score, so to speak; he knows (has been led to believe/hopes) American involvement is only temporary, only to provide cover to Nick, so he's in for the short term.  Had it been otherwise, would he really have flown down to Rio on a P.R. junket with his own female entourage?

But where does Mlle Carla come in?  Ever the femme fatale, she is of course, behind the scenes in this  drama of love and war. But think back.  She did not marry Sarkozy until after he became president. There have been rumors of affairs, breakups.  Nick is becoming increasingly unpopular.  Look at her.  Look at him.  Do you really see them together if he loses power?  On the other hand, if he has his own war, if he becomes Le Cowboy and carves up a nice chunk of North Africa for himself, things would certainly change.  I hear strains of Piaf's "Mon Legionnaire" already, followed by the soundtrack to Lawrence of Arabia.  Sarkozy, king of the desert in flowing robes, racing through the sands on a camel with the lovely Carla riding pillion. History may well treat Carla as The Face That Launched a Thousand Tomahawks.

Does this make Hillary a scorned woman?  Not in the least. She has been there, done that. She has had her moment, her dawn odyssey, her liaisons dangereuses, and her memories.... even false ones like dodging sniper fire in the Balkans. Nobody can take that away from her, and nobody should try.



C'est La Guerre, Mon Amour

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