[GraniteStateConservative]

What's very worrisome is that having miscalculated on what's required for the reconstruction of Iraq and having failed to discover WMDs, which is bad enough, the administration then compounds the error by going begging to the french as a solution. Does anyone really think that the french would say that all is forgiven and they're ready to play ball now? This is crazy. It's clear that the President is being badly advised.

France is happy to agree with us when we agree with them. That is our position now. What France wants, France gets. Without France, we don't get Turkey and India and other nations we want. The other options are for the US to absorb the casualties and the financial burden mostly alone (and I'm not at all sure that independent voters are willing to support that) or to begin pulling out and leave the country in the hands of the Iraqis-- for better or for worse. The most responsible and politically palatable option is the one Bush is following-- eating humble pie and getting the support of the French. Vive la France?!

[Pikamax]

people are not reading the whole article and France knows there is a fine line between gloating and being looked upon as an obstruction. They won't and Bush will not just give in to France/UN just like that.

[Batrachian]

"The most responsible and politically palatable option is the one Bush is following-- eating humble pie and getting the support of the French. Vive la France?!

Then I hope I'm wrong and this solution stabilizes the situation in Iraq. But how long will it take to hammer out another resolution, and who will foot the bill? We where going to pay Turkey $14 billion just to stage troops from their country. How much will it cost us to actually get troops from those countries? We'll probably wind up paying for the whole thing, as well as eating crow. We could do better with our own reservists or troops from Germany.

[section9]

One of the things that amuses me the most is to watch some Freepers say that we are going hat in hand to the French.

If you will recall, a couple of days ago, Putin signed Russia on board. This isolates France, as China is interested in making nice with us, while Britain is a cosponsor. The French have a choice: let the Russians get in on the ground floor first or join in and have a chance to make some money off the deal.

Which is what this is really all about. The French, the Germans, and the Russians opposed this war because they had a comfy financial arrangement with Saddam. It had nothing to do with principle. Now the Russians see a chance to turn a buck. The French will soon follow.

Be Seeing You,

Chris