According to the Times of London today, back in August of 2008 French President Sarkozy tried to talk Russian president, Vladimir Putin, down from hanging Georgian president Sakkashvili.
How?
By appealing to Putin’s sense of shame.
Sarkozy asked Putin whether, after doing such a dispicable thing, he wanted a reputation equivelent to American president George Bush!
Money quote:
With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.
Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”
Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”
Mr Saakashvili, who was in Paris to meet Mr Sarkozy yesterday, laughed nervously when a French radio station read him the exchange. “I knew about this scene, but not all the details. It’s funny, all the same,” he said.
Thank God that George Bush’s stupid Pinochet-like insularity and authoritarianism is coming to a richly deserved inglorious close—and America can start repairing its international reputation with a young new president who reflects the ideals found in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Prometheus Unbound 