Né pour le combat.

I think the world needs to calm down re: the French foreign minister's apparent call to arms over Iran's nuclear program. Kouchner is not a politician and he does not mince words. And this whole story is eclipsing more interesting stuff in the news these days, like this article in the NY Times about how the Iraqi government has suspended Blackwater USA's license while it investigates if its employees were to blame in the death of 8 Iraqis. The implications of this could be huge, since the second largest armed force in Iraq is not the British army but private military contractors. The US relies on these companies for security, intel missions, administrating army bases, feeding soldiers, building infrastructure...everything. The presence of these contractors, especially those directly involved in security or support missions, effectively blurs the line between combattants and civilians. They are also rarely held accountable because they were granted immunity under the Coalition Provisional Authority.

On a completely unrelated note...I like team sports. I LOVE world championships...the best athletes of every country battling it out for supremacy and glory. It's pretty much the only time of the year when I get patriotic. So you can imagine that I'm pretty jazzed that the rugby world cup is on in France right now. I'm reminded of it every single day when I look out my window at the Eiffel tower, which is currently sporting a huge rugby ball in between it's pilars (insert obvious joke here) and is lit up in green.

Rugby-mania is palpable in Paris. Every drink hole in town is showing the games. There is an inordinate amount of brits/scots/irish/welsh filling up patios in even the dodgy parts of town where tourists don't normally venture. Last week was a particularly tense moment in franco-scottish relations when, on top of the rugby matches, the scottish football team played France in a Euro cup qualifier. I am not exaggerating when I say that for two days straight, my neighbourhood was taken over by inebriated men in kilts blowing horns and in general being a huge nuisance. And for two days straight, the supermarkets around my place were out of beer and cheap rosé wine.

So unfortunately France went and made things harder for themselves by losing their first game to Argentina. Obviously they crushed Namibia 87-10, but they still have to beat Ireland (yikes) and Georgia (whatever). All hopes rest on this teddybear:



whose talents include single-handedly bringing down a 6-man scrum, crushing any and all things that get in his way, and starring in ads for kid's products. Chabal-mania!