Chirac watches Abbas' back

Well, with Jacques, you bet it’s probably his own back he wants to watch. But in any case he’s got a plan afoot to finance the PA through the World Bank, not surprisingly funneling the dough through Abbas’ familiar hands (been there – and gone – before). What’s consistent about the French way of doing business (high and low ) is the easy acceptance of corruption that frustrates us anglosaxons. It’s as if everyone in France has agreed to be on the dole from the top to the bottom of society – and to distribute the largesse to minions like Abbas no matter what their record of “redistribution.” Great as long as it works – but talk about deficit spending.