Allons enfants de la patrie, le chauvinisme et arriveè

It seems that people all around the world are yearning for earlier times of grandeur. Not only Iranians, but also French.

President Sarkozy wants the people to listen to France, all around the world. And how is he going to do it? Shutting down the English and Arabic broadcasting channels from France.

According to me, this is almost the stupidest PR move I have seen from a government, second only to the way America treats tourists. According to Sarkozy:

"Between Al Jazeera -- the Arab vision -- and CNN -- the Anglo-Saxon vision -- we would like to express a French vision, but to express a French vision, I would really prefer that we express it in the French language,"

French is not a predominant language anymore and broadcasting in French is going to be only preaching to the converted. I have to say that I can speak a little bit of French and I am interested in learning it well, so my position is not prejudiced against the language. I cannot understand TV in French now, and I doubt that billions of people around the world would learn the language just to know what France has to say. They will just skip France.

Sarkozy should learn from DWTV, one of my favorite news service, offered in several languages. I find DW programming very interesting, when I watch TV. By the way, Ich spreche kein Deustch, but I am more comfortable and familiar with German viewpoints than with French, even if I can read a little bit of the latter language.

I do not know in which world Sarkozy lives, but it's time for him to wake up.