Now that the Iraqi debacle has made American puissance look rather less hyper, Mr Sarkozy can afford to treat the chastened superpower with magnanimity.

• 由于陷入伊战泥潭，美国的强权不再那么超级了，萨科奇现在可以对这个一蹶不振的超级大国宽宏大量一点了。