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Toward A New World: Speeches, Essays, and Interviews on the War in Iraq, the UN, and the Changing Face of Europe
France's new prime minister Dominique de Villepin's most important speeches, writings and interviews are collected here, including his historic address to the United Nations on the eve of the Iraq war, along with his writings on terrorism, the European Union, France and multilateralism, and the future of the UN-making this an important document for students of international politics. With contributions from some of the world's leading intellectuals, such as Norman Mailer, Susan Sontag, Carlos Fuentes, Mario Vargas Llosa, Bernard-Henri Levy, and Tzetan Todorov.
427 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2000
17 people want to read
About the author
Dominique de Villepin
37 books9 followersDominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (born 14 November 1953) is a French politician who served as the Prime Minister of France from 31 May 2005 to 17 May 2007.
A career diplomat, Villepin rose through the ranks of the French right as one of Jacques Chirac's protégés. He came into the international spotlight as Foreign Minister with his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq which culminated with a speech to the UN (French address on Iraq at the UN Security Council).
Villepin has enjoyed a modest return to public favour for his public critique of President Sarkozy's style of "imperial rule."
He has written poetry, a book about poetry, and several historical and political essays, along with studies of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Villepin is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.
One of the most vocal right-wing opponents of President Nicolas Sarkozy, he announced his candidature for President of France in 2012. On 25 March 2010, he announced that he would form a new center-right political movement in order to offer an alternative to Sarkozy in the 2012 election. However, Villepin failed to secure sufficient support to allow his candidacy to proceed.
A career diplomat, Villepin rose through the ranks of the French right as one of Jacques Chirac's protégés. He came into the international spotlight as Foreign Minister with his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq which culminated with a speech to the UN (French address on Iraq at the UN Security Council).
Villepin has enjoyed a modest return to public favour for his public critique of President Sarkozy's style of "imperial rule."
He has written poetry, a book about poetry, and several historical and political essays, along with studies of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Villepin is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.
One of the most vocal right-wing opponents of President Nicolas Sarkozy, he announced his candidature for President of France in 2012. On 25 March 2010, he announced that he would form a new center-right political movement in order to offer an alternative to Sarkozy in the 2012 election. However, Villepin failed to secure sufficient support to allow his candidacy to proceed.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 12, 2008
When France’s Dominique de Villepin spoke out in the United Nations in early 2003 against the impending war in Iraq—warning that the US plan for unilateral attack would only lead to devastating and long-lasting chaos—his passionate reasoning and beautifully crafted speeches caused an uproar. . . and won him a large and admiring American audience.
But the rest of the world has long been familiar with the speeches of the scholar, poet, and statesman who has become such a dominant figure in European politics.
Villepin’s addresses to the European Union, for example, are some of the most stirring and edifying descriptions yet of that emerging—and, in the US, little examined—economic superpower. He has likewise become renowned for his talks about terrorism, proliferation, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and the role of the UN.
TOWARD A NEW WORLD collects his most important speeches, interviews, and essays on those topics. But it is more than a primary documentation of critical recent history. Also included are commentaries from some of the world’s leading intellectuals, making the book an exciting call to consider—as does Villepin himself—that the tumultuous changes sweeping the globe may yet be cause for hope.
But the rest of the world has long been familiar with the speeches of the scholar, poet, and statesman who has become such a dominant figure in European politics.
Villepin’s addresses to the European Union, for example, are some of the most stirring and edifying descriptions yet of that emerging—and, in the US, little examined—economic superpower. He has likewise become renowned for his talks about terrorism, proliferation, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and the role of the UN.
TOWARD A NEW WORLD collects his most important speeches, interviews, and essays on those topics. But it is more than a primary documentation of critical recent history. Also included are commentaries from some of the world’s leading intellectuals, making the book an exciting call to consider—as does Villepin himself—that the tumultuous changes sweeping the globe may yet be cause for hope.
July 26, 2016
This book contains some absolute gems from the contributing essayists. For instance, one of my favorite quotes of all time: "You want to save some time? Drop the newspapers and read the poets." --Regis Debray
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews