# Chirac Iraq Connection? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281 "2003-02-20T06:05:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/1 "2003-02-20T06:05:36Z")
A buddy of mine and I were talking and he mentioned that he heard that one of the folks who brokered the deal between France and Iraq which got Iraq the nuclear reactor (and high grade uranium) was none other than the current President of France. Is this true? If so, what happened to the uranium from the reactor? Did it all get blown up when the Israeli’s bombed the reactor or was it confiscated by the UN inspectors at some point? ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/2 "2003-02-20T06:52:59Z")
This was mentioned on Rush Limbaugh today, he had a cite but I can’t remember it. He also said Chirac was fascinated by Saddam (quoting Chirac) and that Saddam visited with Chirac when he was Mayor of Paris in ~1975. I’d be interested in reading the cite if anyone can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/3 "2003-02-20T06:55:19Z")
Ok I found a link [here](http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_021903/content/truth_detector.guest.html) from [www.rushlimbaugh.com](http://www.rushlimbaugh.com) but don’t have time to read it, it’s late (someone summarize it and validate it)! Evidently the source is [Stratfor.com](http://Stratfor.com) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/4 "2003-02-20T22:19:29Z")
The article is too complicated to fairly condense, but here are two quotes that might get you interested enough to read the article. > [@](#): > > _from **Bob55** ’s link_ > **It reached the point that Iranians referred to Chirac as “Shah-Iraq” and Israelis spoke of the Osirak reactor as “O-Chirac.”** and > [@](#): > > **Whatever the answer, it is clear that the relationship between Chirac and Hussein is long and complex, and not altogether easy to understand. That relationship does not, by itself, explain all of France’s policies toward Iraq or its stance toward a war between he United States and Iraq. But at the same time, it is inconceivable that this relationship has no effect on Chirac’s personal decision-making process. There is an intensity to Chirac’s Iraq policy that simply may signify the remnants of an old, warm friendship gone bad, or that may have a different origin. In any case, it is a reality that cannot be ignored and that must be taken into account in understanding the French leader’s behavior.** There is nothing in the article that indicates that Chirac has done anything at all underhanded, illegal, etc. in regard to Iraq. We will never know, unless if and when Saddam is overthrown, inspectors start looking around and some additional information surfaces concerning Chirac’s connection to Saddam. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/5 "2003-02-21T00:03:31Z")
It is also a good idea to note that France’s larger petroleum companies have negotiated some very lucrative deals with Iraq. A regime change would probably nix that deal. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/6 "2003-02-21T01:31:38Z")
One is tempted to rearrange the words “kettle”, “black” and “pot” here given the nexus of power connections between the US, their foreign policy objectives and a large number of oppressive regimes around the world. But two wrongs do not make a right of course and there is no doubt the French have their own power games to play. I would not trust the earlier posters quotations from Iranians or Israelis as necessarily sound on Iraq or those that have dealings with them. IMHO there is enough empirical evidence to suggest that a dictator/terrorist is simply someone is power who is no longer following orders from the US (and/or their UK lapdogs) - think Hussein when fighting the war versus Iran, think Panama, think Indonesia/East Timor, think Angola/Namibia, think “arch-terrorist” O bin L and other Islamic “fundamentalist” grouping until they stopped fighting the Soviets and turned on governments of secular Islamic states and/or allies of Israel. This is why so many millions around the world expressed their objection to the proposed illegal war against Iraq (until a second explicit US resolution) and immoral war (post such a resolution - on current evidence). It has nothing to do with wars against terrorism or any axis of evil - it’s power politics pure and simple. ---
**Author:** ![TBone2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@TBone2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBone2)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/7 "2003-02-21T05:13:03Z")
Uh, getting back a little closer to the OP… Yeah, the ties between Chirac and Saddam seem to be fairly well known and documented, although something of a chill descended at the time of the first Gulf War. The relationship has been reported in outlets as diverse as _The National Review_ and _Time_. And **notquitekarpov** , this is GQ. There are other boards available for ranting. ---
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/8 "2003-02-21T05:18:25Z")
Well, once the US goes into Iraq in the next few weeks, then we’ll see how much the French and the Germans have contributed to the Iraqi war machine. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chirac-iraq-connection/156281/9 "2003-02-21T11:05:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TBone2 \* > And **notquitekarpov** , this is GQ. There are other boards available for ranting. \*\* That’s right - stick to cites from that fount of objectivity, rationalism and factual accuracy, Rush Limbaugh!