Europe: France's Nicolas Sarkozy seems serious about the big changes — "la rupture" — he vowed to make if elected president. In his first foreign policy address, he was forceful, positive and rooted in Western values. After 100 days in office, Sarkozy outlined a foreign policy unlike anything we've seen from France in the past. His speech demonstrated a blunt clarity and coherence that every civilized country in the world can work with.
This apparently means an end to the reflexive undercutting of U.S. foreign policy and to the "America as hyperpower" canard that predecessor Jacques Chirac liked to promote.
Sarkozy now recognizes the U.S. first as an old ally with whom he doesn't always agree, and that's workable. "Allied does not necessarily mean aligned," he said, "and I feel completely free to discuss both our agreements and disagreements without compliance or taboos, because I assume the fact that France is a friend and ally of the United States."
With a grasp of who his friends are, Sarkozy is looking much harder at the real long-term threats to Europe, foremost among them the prospect of nuclear war from Iran. He called this "the worst crisis currently facing the world." This signals an acceptance of responsibility that the U.S. hasn't seen from France in the past.
Not bothering with nuance, Sarkozy warned Iran that its nuclear ambitions are catastrophic and invite airstrikes from the West. "Either the Iranian bomb or the bombardment of Iran," he said.
He said he's still willing to negotiate, and could reward Iran if the regime lives up to its nuclear promises. But short of that, he intends to step up sanctions. This is a wake-up call for the mullahs, who depend on an accommodative France to check a less-patient U.S.
Sarko was no easier on Europe's other long-term troublemaker. Zeroing in on Russia for the first time, he noted that the country has "brutally" used its energy supplies as a tool for political blackmail.
His language was high-impact for Russians who've been sensitive about charges of "brutality" (especially coming from the French) since the days of Leo Tolstoy. "When one is a great power, one should not be brutal," Sarkozy said, inviting Putin's regime to join the club of civilized nations.
On Iraq, Sarkozy continued to declare opposition to the war, and even called for a "timetable" for troop withdrawal. Though these proposals are unworkable because of the incentive they offer to Iraq's enemies, his tone was notably different from the earlier France, and his intentions seemed constructive.
Sarkozy also showed sound thinking about the rapidly changing world economy in proposing to add the large emerging economies of South Africa, Mexico, China, India and Brazil to the fading G-8. This would be a fitting recognition of countries that have focused on developing their economies instead of menacing others.
And like all serious leaders, Sarkozy didn't ignore his own nation's backyard — in this case, Turkey. Sarkozy stuck to his guns in opposing Turkey's entry into the European Union. But he suggested a fresh approach to the question of integrating the nation into the EU as a full member, demonstrating that he didn't want to deny it economic growth.
He proposed that Turkey enter a more workable Mediterranean Union, in which the country's emerging culture wouldn't have to try to shoehorn itself into the cultural mold of Europe's neat little Belgiums.
The common denominator in all this? Sarkozy wants more than just France to be great. He seems intent on every other state being great too — in living up to its obligations, in acting with great-power benevolence and in including emerging states that want to be constructive.
This new thinking goes far to strengthen civilized nations against emerging menaces, and reminds us all of what we stand for. It's real leadership, and for this France's new president deserves applause.
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