“Sneefed”

The charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, a French Socialist panjandrum, and a top contender for France’s presidency, are serious.

Manhattan prosecutors have charged Mr. Strauss-Kahn, with seven counts stemming from allegations he sexual assaulted a hotel housekeeper.

As can be expected, Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest has sent shock waves and disbelief throughout the capitals of Europe, and outrage throughout much of France. The French have long celebrated their laissez-faire attitude toward sex and moral issues. In this regard, particularly germane was the French riposte to America's disapproval of Bill Clinton's sexual scandal with Monica Lewinsky - they "sniffed."

This brings to mind the wonderful description of another French affair in Richard Holbrooke's book "To End A War." A special dinner was held at Wright - Patterson Air Force Museum, the greatest military air museum in the world, for delegates to the Dayton Peace Accords, November 1 - 21, 1995. All delegates were stopped for a security check, which included being searched by dogs trained to smell explosives. The French Representative, Jacques Blot, took extreme exception to this procedure. He whined, "This insult is to all of France." He stated emphatically, "I will not be sniffed!" He was said to pronounce it "sneefed."

"Sneefed" indeed, let's hope Monsieur Blot never has to go through Barack Obama's and Janet Napolitano's airport security checks.