Too Weaselly By Half

Jacques Chirac is caught in his own net of domestic politcal intrigue and the scandal threatens to take the his entire pack of his vermin down with him.

The affair had a discreet beginning — an investigation in November 2003 at the Defense Ministry to verify the list of Clearstream accounts.

It is Villepin's entrance into the case that raises questions today.

Villepin — then foreign minister — summoned Gen. Philippe Rondot, in charge of special Defense Ministry operations, to a January 2004 meeting.

Also present was Jean-Louis Gergorin, vice-president of European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co., which owns 80 percent of Airbus. It was Gergorin who allegedly provided the list to Rondot and informed Villepin of a potential problem.

Villepin said he had been made aware of "national security risks" from money laundering — potentially tied to terrorism or organized crime — that could threaten French economic interests. He said it was his duty to ask Rondot to investigate.

The prime minister at first denied that Sarkozy was mentioned in the meeting, saying he only saw the list of names later.

But Villepin backtracked slightly this week after the daily Le Monde published alleged extracts of Rondot's testimony to investigators in which he says that the prime minister — on Chirac's orders — specifically asked for an investigation into Sarkozy.

Villepin admitted Thursday that Sarkozy's name was mentioned, but only "as interior minister," not in connection with the probe. He denied that Chirac ordered the probe, as did the president's office.

Sarkozy is one of the few remotely honest people in Chirac's cabinet and Villepin's main rival to replace Chirac. Chirac favored the far-left, America-hating Villepin. Sarkozy is much friendlier to the United States.