The Macho language of International Gangsterism

The image on this blog post is from the brilliant Leonard Rossiter's portrayal of King John, by Shakespeare.


One of the things that has happened in recent years--and it is largely the fault of the outgoing American administration, but not wholly so--is that a white man's fantasy language of gangsterism has replaced any pretense of international law.

Here is, via Glenn Greenwald, a verified report of what Putin and Sarkozy had to say about the prospect of hanging enemies during the late negotiations over Georgia;

Nicolas Sarkozy saved the President of Georgia from being hanged “by the balls” — a threat made last summer by Vladimir Putin, according to an account that emerged yesterday from the Élysée Palace. . . .

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.”

And for those concerned to verify the point, here is the original report of the words of Jean David Levitte, a Sarkozy adviser, from Le Nouvel Observateur

Le président français interpelle Poutine et Medvedev : «Vous ne pouvez pas faire cela, le monde ne l'acceptera pas.» Poutine réplique dans son langage ordurier habituel : «Saakachvili, je vais le faire pendre par les couilles.» «Le pendre ?» demande le président français, effaré. «Pourquoi pas ? répond le Premier ministre russe. Les Américains ont bien pendu Saddam Hussein.» «Oui, mais tu veux terminer comme Bush ?», rétorque Sarkozy. Poutine est interloqué. Comme Bush ? Il réfléchit puis lâche : «Ah, là, tu marques un point.»

Here are the invented but appropriate words of Thomas More on the point, which I think apposite. People don't change;