In what is being called in diplomatic circles as an unprecedented and dangerous move, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife, model Carla Bruni, has stripped for a pay-per-view special and given the proceeds to Somalian kidnappers in order to secure the freedom of their hostages aboard a French-owned cruise ship just off the coast of Africa.
Bedlam erupted in the security council chamber of the United Nations as furious diplomats took the government of France to task when the 'Breasts for Hostages' campaign was finally uncovered.
While world leaders initially avoided being dragged into the discussions, it became clear that their positions would be uncovered once a U.N. vote to censure France got underway.
For the record, it seems that leaders of countries within the southern hemisphere were seen as having no qualms about using their wives in such a manner. Leaders, particularly from catholic countries, tended to have a more liberal view, while the least in favour were from the middle east.
The most vociferous of the diplomatic corp tended to be from Britain, a region of the world known for it's particular distaste for the French 'joie de vivre'.
However, surprisingly, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown dismissed his own government's position on the matter and advised his colleagues in the U.N. to abstain from the vote, as he wanted to be seen as proverbially 'straddling the pole'.
The Prime Minister's wife was unavailable for comment, however in a quick, off the record remark, she mentioned, rather cryptically, that she, too, had pole-straddling capabilities.
