By far one of the most corrupt leaders on the world stage in the last decade has been French President Jacque Chirac. Despite his lofty demeanor suggesting, for some, proper mannerisms; Messer Chirac exhibited no such thing in his long career in French politics.

Apparently the boorish behavior of George Bush was enough to make Chirac stay away from the U.S. president but a dictator whom robs from his people and kills them is acceptable company.

[Chirac saying goodbye to Bongo, one less person to bestow gifts. AFP.]

Chirac was very close with many tyrant of the world. Of course, all world leaders, including Americans, make friendships with tyrants. It is impossible to avoid doing as so many of them rule over areas of strategic importance. But that is the point and the difference between Chirac and the rest. Most world leaders do not establish real friendships with tyrants, just strategic alliances for the purposes of the nation’s economic/political interest. Does anything thing that George Bush would have did a sword dance with the Saudi King if the King did not reign over so much oil? While other world leaders do it because they have to, Chirac seems to enjoy the tea time with no judgment ever passing that the man he keeps as his friend is a brutal tyrant.

And other world leaders do not accept largess from leaders that go beyond a house gift. Chirac struck up a very personal relationship with the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. This is not objectionable. Although Hariri is not the saint his family has, through skillful propaganda, turned him into, the man was mostly a progressive force for Lebanon. The relationship is fine, but what is inappropriate is how willingly Chirac is be accept gifts that go beyond what should be acceptable. Upon ending his presidency, Chirac moved into a lavish apartment owned by the Hariri family.

Apartment are one thing, campaign funds are another. Here too Chirac was more than inappropriate but corrupt. The French political was stated that Chirac’s political career was funded in part by proceeds, looted from the state treasury, donated by the late Gabon dictator Omar Bongo. Chirac denies the charges and the funding was in 1981, more than a decade before he became president. But still... it is not beyond Chirac to behave in such a manner.

The French, especially the likes of Chirac, often like to look down on American politics as being uncouth. Say what they will, but in America a politician would never accept contributions from any foreign leader, least a dictator, and a president would never move into a house bought a foreign family. I will take the occasionally poor level of discourse in the U.S. Congress over the disgraceful behavior of a Chirac any day.