France's Macron calls on U.S. to engage world, reject nationalism

[nitpicker]

Source: Reuters

France's Macron calls on U.S. to engage world, reject nationalism

Reuters Staff

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to reject narrow nationalism and engage the world, telling U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that modern economic and security challenges must be a shared responsibility.

Capping a three-day visit to the United States, Macron told a joint meeting of Congress that isolationism and nationalism were “a tempting remedy for our fears.” But he said international engagement was the only solution. “This requires -- more than ever -- the United States’ involvement as your role was decisive for creating and guarding today’s free world. The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it,” he said.

Earlier on his visit, Macron pushed President Donald Trump to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump has criticized harshly, and forge a new approach that would also incorporate other U.S. and European concerns.
(snip)


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-france/trump-and-frances-macron-seek-new-measures-on-iran-as-deadline-looms-idUSKBN1HV1UH

[nitpicker]

1. From DW

http://www.dw.com/en/french-president-emmanuel-macron-rocks-us-congress-with-speech/a-43533085

French President Emmanuel Macron rocks US Congress with speech

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed a Joint Session of Congress and said that he hoped the US would someday come back to the Paris Climate agreements. He dwelt on a long, common history.

French President Emmanuel Macron received standing ovations during and after his speech as he addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday in Washington DC.
(snip)

What Macron said
The United States and France have a long history together
Climate change is real. We have no Planet B
Macron is sure the US will someday come back to to the Paris Agreement
We must fight against fake news
Iran will never have nuclear weapons
What we cherish is at stake and together we shall prevail
(snip)

He urged a collective approach to the environment and economic growth: "With business leaders and local communities, let us work together in order to make our planet great again and create new jobs and new opportunities while safeguarding our Earth. And I'm sure one day, the United States would come back and join the Paris agreement."

[dalton99a]

2. "No more soup for you, Emmanuel"

[nitpicker]

3. From France 24

http://www.france24.com/en/20180425-french-president-macron-urges-us-help-reinvent-multilateralism

France's Macron urges US to engage world, reject nationalism

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to reject narrow nationalism and engage the world, telling U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that modern economic and security challenges must be a shared responsibility.

Capping a three-day visit to the United States, Macron told a joint meeting of Congress that isolationism and nationalism were "a tempting remedy for our fears." But he said international engagement was the only solution.

"This requires -- more than ever -- the United States' involvement as your role was decisive for creating and guarding today's free world. The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it," he said.
(snip)

Earlier on his visit, Macron pushed President Donald Trump to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump has criticized harshly, and forge a new approach that would also incorporate other U.S. and European concerns.

Macron has pushed for a new approach that would see the United States and Europe agree to block any Iranian nuclear activity until 2025 and beyond, address Iran's ballistic missile program and generate conditions for a political solution to
contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

"Whatever the decision of the United States will be, we will not leave the floor to the actions of rogues. We will not leave the floor to this conflict of powers in the Middle East," Macron told Congress.
(snip)

[exboyfil]

4. The return of freedom fries

Quick change the menus to show our patriotic support for our country.

[nitpicker]

5. And commentary from BBC

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43897212

Macron attacks nationalism in speech to US Congress

8 minutes ago

(snip)

Macron has provided a masterclass to other world leaders on how to handle Donald Trump - you cuddle up close, you flatter where necessary - but you use that to allow you to pack a big punch.
(snip)

In a cleverly crafted speech, he started with the entente between himself and the US president that some said was just too cordial. But then came the punches - and they were hard-hitting jabs, taking direct aim at Donald Trump's policy agenda. On free trade, on the importance of science, on inequality - and Mr Trump's America First policies.

Then he audaciously borrowed Donald Trump's Make America Great Again slogan to talk about the environment, and the importance of the climate change agreement the US has pulled out of. He said it was time to make the Earth great again.
(snip)

On trade, Mr Macron said that "commercial war is not the proper answer", as it would "destroy jobs and increase prices", adding: "We should negotiate through the World Trade Organization. We wrote these rules, we should follow them."
◾Trade wars, Trump tariffs and protectionism explained

Mr Trump has in the past said that trade wars are good and easily won. He has taken on Europe and China with new tariffs, saying the US has suffered from unfair trade practices.

On another issue of difference, Iran, Mr Macron said his country would not abandon a nuclear deal with Tehran that was agreed by world powers when President Barack Obama was in office but which Mr Trump has branded "terrible". Mr Macron said: "This agreement may not address all concerns, and very important concerns. This is true. But we should not abandon it without having something more substantial instead." But he added: "Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never."

On the environment, he said by "polluting the oceans, not mitigating CO2 emissions and destroying biodiversity we are killing our planet. Let us face it, there is no Planet B".

Donald Trump last year withdrew the US from the Paris global climate accord, another landmark Obama achievement, saying it was a "very bad deal for the US".
(snip)

[sandensea]

6. Sure - but if you want to invade Syria, do it yourself Monsieur.

Or get Total, BP, and Shell to do it for you.

[Achilleaze]

7. republicans don't do responsibility. And because they live in a perpetual state of fear

they just want to put up a big wall and pretend they can continue sitting atop the shit heaps they have created.

[janx]

13. And Macron very eloquently

called them out on it. It was impressive.

[SummerSnow]

8. "reject narrow nationalism" Trump not so happy with that statement

[riversedge]

9. Thank you Mr. Macron.

[djacq]

10. I guess the Bromance is over

Never seen an Orange Clown sucker before.

[Sophia4]

11. Wonderful speech.

[janx]

12. Agreed. Macron is good at it.

And if I'm not mistaken, Paul Ryan was smiling, but perhaps that was because he's on the way out and can do what he wants to now. Pence was definitely not smiling.

[nitpicker]

14. Update from DW

http://www.dw.com/en/french-president-emmanuel-macron-rocks-us-congress-with-speech/a-43533085

(snip)
What Macron said to Congress
Criticized Trump's isolationist stance: "We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism ... but closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world."

Emphasized climate change is real: "Let us work together in order to make our planet great again ... There is no Planet B."
Encouraged US to come back to the Paris Agreement.

Warned of fake news threat: "Without reason, without truth, there is no real democracy because democracy is about true choices and rational decisions."

Praised US-French relations and history: "The American and French people have had a rendezvous with freedom."

Made assurances about Iran nuclear deal: "Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never."
(snip)

[orangecrush]

15. GOOD

This is calling for Americans to reject Putin''s puppet and alll his works.