posted on January 23, 2003 02:37:53 PM new
The past couple of days, the American press has been filled with reports about French and German hand-wringing over Iraq. We'll get to that in a moment, but first we'd like to tip our hat to a real ally. Australia has deployed a transport carrier to the Persian Gulf "in preparation for a possible war against Iraq," reports the Melbourne Age. Prime Minister John Howard made a speech to the troops:
I believe that it is right for the international community to try to disarm Iraq. I believe that if the international community balked at that task, if it walks away from it, if it gives up because it is too hard, Iraq will not oblige by giving up her weapons of mass destruction. She will be emboldened not only to retain them but to also expand them. And the example of that successful defiance will be copied by other countries and we will increasingly live in a world where a growing number of rogue states possess weapons that could do enormous damage not only to their neighbours but to the broader community.
posted on January 23, 2003 03:06:48 PM new
Well....THANK YOU AUSTRALIA!!
Bear - I think France will come around once the first bombs are dropped. Their past history shows this to be true.
But while everyone continues to say 'see...we don't have support'....they don't appear [to me] to be noticing that those countries are doing what they are, because it's in THEIR countries best interest. [Deals with Iraq]. But, heaven forbid, WE should do what we believe is in our best interest.
posted on January 23, 2003 04:07:31 PM new
Thank's Helen, Your report is correct.
With a poppulation of approx 20 million.
Assuming 25% are under voting age,
that would mean less than 1 million people in Australia support George.
posted on January 23, 2003 04:28:39 PM new
>I believe that it is right for the international community to try to disarm Iraq.
Yes. And after they disarm Iraq, then they can disarm North Korea. And then Iran, Syria, Libya, Turkey, the Sudan, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Thailand, and so forth until the West is the only one left standing. Remember, this IS a Coalition of the Willing Police Countries Of The World!
posted on January 23, 2003 04:29:51 PM new
>Bear - I think France will come around once the first bombs are dropped. Their past history shows this to be true.
I was just watching an analysis of that. Sitting on the Fence until the shooting starts has no negatives, only positives. So expect the fence sitters to be there until America actually makes their unprovoked attack on Iraq.
posted on January 23, 2003 07:12:55 PM newLinda, I know YOU wil appreciate the following:
The Axis of Weasels The New York Times' William Safire argues that France's recent "spinaround" on Iraq was driven by European politics:
[President Jacques] Chirac had made a deal with the U.S. last fall: we agreed to postpone the invasion of Iraq until after U.N. inspectors had been jerked around long enough to satisfy the world street's opinion, and in return France would not demand a second U.N. resolution before allied forces overthrew Saddam.
As D-Day approached, France sent its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the coming war zone. . . .
Then [Chancellor Gerhard] Schröder, reliant on his militantly antiwar Greens, made Chirac an offer he could not refuse: to permanently assert Franco-German dominance over the 23 other nations of Continental Europe.
In a stunning power play in Brussels, Germany and France moved to change the practice of having a rotating presidency of the European Council, which now gives smaller nations influence, to a system with a long-term president. This Franco-German czar of the European Union would dominate a toothless president of the European Commission, chosen by the European Parliament. . . . France then had to repay Schröder by double-crossing the U.S. at the U.N.
Donald Rumsfeld, in other words, is right. "You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France," the Associated Press quotes the defense secretary as saying yesterday. "I don't. I think that's old Europe. If you look at the entire NATO Europe today, the center of gravity is shifting to the east and there are a lot of new members." The AP dispatch is headlined "Rumsfeld's Remarks Draw Anger in France." And if that doesn't make Rummy nervous, we don't know what would.
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Further it is reported that:
"U.S. Secretary Defense Donald Rumsfeld apologized . . . for referring to France and Germany as an 'Axis of Weasels' ":
"I'm sorry about that Axis of Weasels remark," said Mr. Rumsfeld. "I didn't mean to dredge up the history France and Germany share of pathetic compliance with ruthless dictators." . . .
"I should have known better than to remind people that these two nations--which live in freedom thanks only to the righteous might of America, Britain and their allies--that these nations are morally and politically bankrupt, and have failed to learn the lessons of history," he said.
Just in case it's not absolutely clear, this is a satire. Rumsfeld issued no such apology.
posted on January 26, 2003 12:30:55 AM new
I couldn't give a rat's rear end what France thinks. The only thing they know how to do is appease and then surrender.
posted on January 27, 2003 10:51:32 AM new
You do have to concede to the French their place in military history: As warriors, the French have always made superb pastry chefs. A French war begins with a retreat on Paris, followed by a scream for help, usually American, and four years of peaceful collaboration. They're the only country I know of that has a stack of surrender documents addressed To Whom It May Concern. I've seen fiercer geese." --Fred Reed
