Sunday 15 May 2011

spoiler? smear? guilty?

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the IMF and potential Socialist candidate for President of France in 2012, was arrested last night just before the plane he was on took off from New York for Paris. A chambermaid at the hotel he had been in in New York earlier had accused him of attempted rape, sodomy and kidnapping.  The police were inclined enough to believe her to arrest him.  He will go before a judge today.  If found guilty he cannot of course be a candidate, and there are many who say he is the only credible Socialist who could give France a Socialist president for the second time in the history of the Fifth Republic, since Mitterrand did it in 1981.  If not, many will say, no smoke without fire.  If this is a set-up (he left the hotel in a hurry, without his mobile phone and some other personal things) it is a daring one.  The people who surround French presidents have been known to engage in smear and set-up and sting before, but this... the Socialist line is, naturally enough, let us see the outcome of this before any statements are made.  Sarko's people are, also naturally enough, saying nothing whatever.  DSK, as he is known here, is of course more than a French politician of the Left.  He is an internationally known mover in the world's economy, which is part of the reason why he would be such a credible candidate.  Up to now the Sarko line against him has been "What does he know about France?  He lives in Washington".  They have something else to play with now.  Where did it come from?  DSK's human weakness and the syndrome, common to many politicians, of engaging in risky behaviour, or something more sinister altogether?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am inclined to believe the sinister - unless it is proved otherwise.

I am well aware that police have their reasons for believing the likes of chambermaids rather than public figures - and who has never encountered a corrupt cop? They can make a nice little living from hand-outs by the press.Not too many left wing cops around either. DSK may be guilty. He may also be the victim of something very sinister designed to ruin his very credible Presidential chances.And if so - I wouldn't be looking at the Sarko camp for the people behind it. I would look closer to home. Think Sego. Think Holland etc. Its always your own who hate you the most. I dont' think that Martine would stoop so low.

Being a chambermaid doesn't mean that because of the 'lowly' nature of the role, the person is automatically truthful and decent. No more than anyone else, actually.She may also need a bit of cash and be happy to do her job on instructions from others. We'll see.