Posted on 07/10/2004 1:16:19 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Developing Any Multilateral Policy Requires Not Insulting Faithful Allies
In a recent appearance, Senator Kerry was asked by reporter Craig Gilbert, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Do you have any degree of responsibility having voted to give him (President Bush) the authority to go to war?” Kerry’s reply to the question included a telling phrase, “what we did was vote with one voice of the United States Congress for a process—the process was to build a legitimate international coalition, go through the inspections process, and go to war as a last resort.”
Kerry’s use of this phrase prompted pundit Andrew Sullivan to ask in the New Republic magazine, “Was the Clinton Kosovo war the product of an ‘illegitimate coalition’? Is Kerry now saying that only UN-sponsored coalitions are henceforth kosher? What signal does this send to those many countries who did join the coalition?”
Kerry’s remark at this forum was not the first time he has dismissed the contributions of the nations that joined the United States in toppling Saddam Hussein and reconstructing Iraq. In comments published in the Des Moines Register, Kerry declared, “The greatest position of strength is by exercising the best judgment in the pursuit of diplomacy, not in some trumped-up, so-called coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought and extorted, but in a genuine coalition.”
Just in case there was doubt that Kerry had changed his mind since the end of the Iraq war, he repeated the charge in an interview with Rolling Stone, “The President made a series of promises of promises to us—number one, that he was going to make every effort possible to build a legitimate coalition. He did not—he built a fraudulent coalition.”
Kerry’s repeated statements on the issue of allies beg critical questions. What exactly constitutes a ‘legitimate coalition’? Kerry supported the NATO campaign against Serbia under Milosevic in 1999, in which the U.S. acted without the support of the United Nations Security Council. So we hope it is safe to assume that the Senator does not believe that a legitimate coalition requires a UN mandate. But what exactly does he mean?
The next question is how a President Kerry intends to win more support for American foreign policy abroad by insulting those governments that have stood by us thus far.
There are now 10,000 troops, representing several European allies, under Polish command in southern Iraq. The Poles for their part have not been able to obtain the same privileged visa-free status that French and German travelers now hold to enter the United States. This remains State Department policy in spite of the fact that France and Germany, unlike Poland, are known to have terrorist cells operating on their soil.
Polish companies have found lucrative reconstruction contracts scarce in the new Iraq. So the Senator’s charge of a coalition of the ‘bribed’ doesn’t fit the facts, though such charges are heard loud and clear by the opposition in Warsaw. Indeed, they ask reasonably: why should we stick our necks out for Uncle Sam when there is so little quid pro quo, and the opposition party in America accuses us of being stooges? All of this comes on the heels of strains in Poland’s relations with its new EU partners, and sneering comments in major German publications referring to Poland as ‘America’s Trojan donkey’ within the E.U.
Then there is the small matter of what could happen in the future if a President Kerry decided that military action had become unavoidable, and sought the support of the European Union.
If France and Germany were to oppose the U.S., Kerry’s Administration would find itself without friends among Europe’s ‘medium sized’ powers, Spain, Italy and Poland. Sending the none-too-subtle message that Warsaw and Rome should have deferred to their betters in Paris and Berlin is hardly going to win back support from the two largest nations at the heart of the EU, and in fact is more likely to earn their contempt. They would correctly perceive that Kerry sacrificed the principle of ‘Presidents, Prime Ministers come and go’ in favor of pandering to a miniscule element of the American electorate, while being challenged by Governor Howard Dean.
Within Germany, this principle was invoked by opponents of Chancellor Schroeder in 2002, after he made opposition to a war Germany had not been asked to participate in the centerpiece of his campaign. Now it is Chancellor Schroeder’s government which may be on its way out, and the opposition Christian Democrats who urged a quiet, behind the scenes dissent towards Washington may yet reap the benefits.
Kerry’s calculus thus makes little sense even from the standpoint of mending fences with Paris and Berlin.
The Bush Administration has sent American troops to operate alongside their French counterparts to restore order in Haiti, and hosted Chancellor Schroeder to discuss Germany leading the NATO peacekeeping effort in Afghanistan. France also has quietly, according to the U.S. Central Command’s website, contributed troops and airlifts to ongoing NATO operations in Central Asia. Kerry’s defenders may cry foul, pointing to the alleged vilification of France by the Bush Administration in the run-up to war in Iraq. While this ‘an eye for an eye’ argument might satisfy partisans, it does nothing to address the question of whether the nation will in fact have a less ‘’ideological’ foreign policy, as Senator Kerry argues is his goal.
Politics of course has never ‘stopped at the water’s edge,’ and vigorous and even fierce debate is historically the American way of foreign policy making. But if there is to be hope for ‘moving on’ to a new bipartisan foreign policy, the debate must not be poisoned by insults directed against both the governments that supported the Bush Administration in Iraq and those who did not.
Polska ping!
So9
But if there is to be hope for ‘moving on’ to a new bipartisan foreign policy, the debate must not be poisoned by insults directed against both the governments that supported the Bush Administration in Iraq and those who did not.
A spade is a spade. French and German leaders have shown their "true colors". Corruption is a way of life for them. _ _ _ _ them and the jackasses they rode in on.
One more example of Kerry's "I hate America" positions. He is so out of touch with reality, and considers anything bad for America is good for the Rats. I guess the article demonstrates what Kerry means when he says he intends to "get America back on track". Wow, what a maroooon!
Articles like this one will get out more and more as the election nears, and the 'average' voter will see Kerry's stupidity (but at least they have nice hair)
so kerry is trying to appear as an american? Whatsamatter? being frenchie isn't getting anywhere?
Vote the fricken RATS out!
Damn! I hate mis-reading! Makes me look more idiotic than I am without making mistakes! :>)
I missed a short key quote in the story .... "trumped-up, so-called coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought and extorted"
I thought at first he was insulting germany and france and the other eu'ers
He does not have the stamina to go full speed every day.
Thank you America friend. That person is evil cretin. I want your great president again he is my hero and hero to Grom. Your great president need to come to my country stay in my country. All America people are welcome but that evil cretin not welcome in my house.
Don't you all get the impression that Kerry has no idea what is going on in this country. He missed the terrorism briefing and looked like an idiot on Larry King. He has missed most of the Senate votes. I think he is totally uninformed. This is what the Dems want to put in office! God help our country
“what we did was vote with one voice of the United States Congress for a process—the process was to build a legitimate international coalition, go through the inspections process, and go to war as a last resort.”
Well, we did all that. But the bill (SJ 46 10/2/2002))doesn't read the way Kerry states. Here's an excerpt. the rest is at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c107:1:./temp/~c107zbVrO1::
SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS.
The Congress of the United States supports the efforts by the President to--
(1) strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions applicable to Iraq and encourages him in those efforts; and
(2) obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) AUTHORIZATION- The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to--
(1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and
(2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.
(b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION- In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon there after as may be feasible, but not later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that--
(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and
(2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorists attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001
It's time Bush told his state dept. to update American visa preferences.
"Kerry will not survive the campaign."
I hope you're right on this one. I hate that traitor so much that I almost went ballistic today at the mall on a car that had a Kerry plate on the front. I think I need help...perhaps sometime the first week of Nov. I'll calm down.
Is Hellery John-John's speach writer? Perhaps Algore?
What would a DemocRAT know about bribery, coercion (sp?) and extortion?
Criminy that is about the equivalent of a slap in the face in diplo-speak.
Man, we're on the same page when it comes to confronting the liberal curse in our country. I view them, not Muslims, as my chief enemy. Muslims run a close second.
Would you look at that picture!!!!!!!! Kerry has a forehead that works!! It CAN make wrinkles!!!! How 'bout that!!
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