France Lied to U.S. During Iraq Crisis (Book Excerpt)(GOOD READ)

Insight Magazine ^ | Posted April 2, 2004 | By Kenneth R. Timmerman

[Jewels1091]

For Secretary of State Colin Powell, the U.S.-French divorce began on Jan. 20, 2003, when French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin blindsided him during a press conference outside the U.N.

After a special session of the Security Council devoted to the war on terror, held at de Villepin's personal request, Powell had driven over to the French U.N. ambassador's official Park Avenue residence, where de Villepin was to host him to an exclusive lunch.

Instead, de Villepin stayed behind at the U.N. and announced to the world that France would never support a U.S.-led military intervention against Saddam Hussein. As Powell saw the man he thought was his friend appear on the video monitors in the French ambassador's residence his jaws dropped, says his deputy and confidant, Richard Armitage. "He was very unamused," Armitage recalls. "When he's unamused, he gets pretty cold. He puts the eyes on you and there is no doubt when his jaws are jacked. It's not a pretty sight."

During the session, de Villepin "preened and postured," recalled a deputy to U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte. After a tepid homage to the victims of 9/11, de Villepin urged the United Nations to take over the global fight against terror by sending international bureaucrats to Third World nations that were harboring or sponsoring terrorist groups. He wanted the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to get involved, and proposed a new international arms-control treaty to track the commercial use and shipment of radioactive materials, surely a move that would prove as useful in preventing nuclear terrorism as the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty has been in preventing nations such as Israel, Pakistan, India and North Korea from going nuclear.

"Let us look at things with lucidity," the Frenchman said finally, his voice quivering with compassion. "Terrorism feeds on injustice. So an equitable model of development is therefore necessary to definitely eradicate terrorism."

After briefly summarizing these proposals, which no one took seriously, de Villepin told the news cameras that he now wanted to say "a few words" about Iraq. That caught Powell's ear.

[Jewels1091]

I think I'm going to have to get this book!

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[CatoRenasci]

This needs to be widely publicised. Whenever the Demons talk about getting UN and other international support, we need to put it in their faces: these people wouldn't have agreed no matter what we did.

[Spruce]

The french have been a pain-in-the-a** since the dawn of western civilization.

[richardtavor]

I've read it and it is worth it--especially the part where it details the industrial espionage that the French have done on us (they really haven't spent the money on R & D because of the pathetic socialistic spending.) Therefore, it's easier to steal from us.

[lilylangtree]

Published on FR April 2003--see below:

The French: I’m Shocked, Shocked! (French selling arms to iraq)
MSNBC.com \ Newsweek ^ | April 21 issue | Arian Campo-Flores and Kevin Peraino in Iraq and Mark Hosenball in Washington

April 21 issue — The French government insists that it has strictly enforced a tight embargo imposed on Saddam Hussein’s regime by the United Nations in 1990. But Saddam never lost his taste for French weapons or luxury goods. And evidence found by U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq suggests that—despite U.N. sanctions—the dictator continued to receive an abundant supply of both until very recently.

LT. GREG HOLMES, a tactical intelligence officer with the Third Infantry Division, told NEWSWEEK that U.S. forces discovered 51 Roland-2 missiles, made by a partnership of French and German arms manufacturers, in two military compounds at Baghdad International Airport. One of the missiles he examined was labeled 05-11 KND 2002, which he took to mean that the missile was manufactured last year. The charred remains of a more modern Roland-3 launcher was found just down the road from the arms cache. According to a mortar specialist with the same unit, radios used by many Iraqi military trucks brandished MADE IN FRANCE labels and looked brand new. RPG night sights stamped with the number 2002 and French labels also turned up. And a new Nissan pickup truck driven by a surrendering Iraqi officer was manufactured in France as well. U.S. soldiers who moved into one of Saddam’s sumptuous palaces found a treasure house of less-deadly French goodies. Sets of Baath Party-logo silverware were marked MADE IN FRANCE on the back. And the palace was littered with the French cigarette brands Gauloise and Gitane. There were even packages of white French underwear. Political conservatives on Capitol Hill are already fuming at this new evidence of possible French perfidy, though French officials deny wrongdoing. A French Embassy spokeswoman insists that the Roland-2 missile was an old model which the manufacturer stopped making years ago, though she admits the Roland-3 is a newer model. She says the Chirac government’s position is that new goods from France found in Iraq were probably illegal deliveries that Saddam purchased on a marche parallel, or black market. —Arian Campo-Flores and Kevin Peraino in Iraq and Mark Hosenball in Washington

[McGavin999]

"The problem with you Americans," de Villepin hectored a visiting United States senator in Paris last December, "is that you don't read Machiavelli." His meaning, the senator's aide told me, was crystal clear. De Villepin and Chirac had lied to the United States during the Iraq crisis, and if we didn't like it, we should get over it. That's how the "big boys" played politics.

France is just starting to find out how the REAL big boys play politics and france is totally outclassed.

[niteowl77]

"The problem with you Americans," de Villepin hectored a visiting United States senator in Paris last December, "is that you don't read Machiavelli."

"And the problem with you French," Ed countered, "is that you read nothing else."

[tracer]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- someday soon a large quantity of Iraqi WMDs will be discovered on or under French soil.

The wine-swilling bastards have been playing "hide the economic salami" with Saddam for decades and have resisted our efforts against his regime because such conflicted with their economic interests.

I've managed to keep my nose and hands clean throughout my life, but, for a variety of legitimate reasons and due to a number of lawful circumstances, I long ago have learned to think like a criminal.

Whether anyone wishes to characterize this view as paranoia, delusion, or whatever matters not. You first heard it here on the FR......

[Hans]

Say it isn't true.
Frogs lie?

[Enduring Freedom]

More so than Iraq, Syria, North Korea.

France & Germany will be our opponents in the next war.

[jwalsh07]

This is getting ready to go mainstream. Timmerman was interviewed on Fox News at 6PM by Brit Hume.

Le French....

Patooie!

[Torie]

The WSJ has an interesting story today on the Credit Lyonaise scandal. France was convicted for criminal conduct (yes France, as in FRANCE), with French agency coverup, and now it is on to the civil case, with 5 billion in damages being sought. Apparently it has strained the already strained relations between the US and France. I don't think the French like common law Anglo Saxon courts. Perhaps they prefer EU and international courts. Just a wild guess.

[Miss Marple]

The French are an enemy. Period.

I will say it here again..I would have no trouble believing that they were complicit in 9/11.

[metesky]

When Timmerman was on Fox tonight I remarked to the bride that I was sure I'd read what he was saying on FR a few weeks ago.

Step aside John and let me spit on 'em too.

Patooie!

Makes me ashamed of my Frog half...

[jwalsh07]

Dude, like me you're 100% grade A American.

[Lady Heron]

"Terrorism feeds on injustice.

No, just islam.

[Quilla]

I saw Greg Timmerman on Brit Hume's Special Report last night and it prompted me to search FR for this bombshell report. So glad you posted it Jewels. Hope you don't mind if I bump it a bit during the day.

[Quilla]

Get a load of this! France's deceitful, backstabbing behavior needs more exposure. Last night, Timmerman said that both Chiraq and de Villepin promised President Bush and Secretary Powell, respectively, their support in a US led war against Iraq. De Villepin kept up the charade until his opportunity came along to sit in the Secretary General's chair. After his chance to "preen" in the UN spotlight, he completely changed his position. He lied in an attempt to retain France's $100 billion Iraqi oil contracts (and probably their take in the oil for food scandal).

Could y'all ping your lists to this article?

[OXENinFLA]

I think I saw this guy on FNC.

He said something about Powell watching De Villepin from the FRENCH consulate and his jaw dropping to the floor.