Bush and the French

The French have to wonder if the next four years will be anything like the last four.

Ms. Rice is now America's top diplomat, and American-organized elections have taken place in Iraq. So for France, a new era of political realism is beginning.

Let me add that Rummy is still SecDef, the US's assertions about French involvement in the UN Oil for Food scandal have some basis in fact and, as of now, no amount of chummy diplomacy with the Iranians or the North Koreans have dislodged their nuclear ambitions.

I don't have to conclude that the US is correct about everything always to notice that we are correct enough times that the French may have to deal with us as (at least) more correct in our foreign policy actions than the world, led by France, seems willing to admit.