France Vows to Block Resolution on Iraq War [CHEESE-EATING SURRENDER MONKEY ALERT]

Washington Compost ^ | 01/21/2003 | Glenn Kessler and Colum Lynch

[Publius Maximus]

France Vows to Block Resolution on Iraq War

U.S. Schedule Put at Risk By U.N. Debate

By Glenn Kessler and Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, January 21, 2003; Page A01

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 20 -- France suggested today it would wage a major diplomatic fight, including possible use of its veto power, to prevent the U.N. Security Council from passing a resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.

France's opposition to a war, emphatically delivered here by Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, is a major blow for the Bush administration, which has begun pouring tens of thousands of troops into the Persian Gulf in preparation for a military conflict this spring. The administration had hoped to mark the final phase in its confrontation with Iraq when U.N. weapons inspectors deliver a progress report Monday.

But in a diplomatic version of an ambush, France and other countries used a high-level Security Council meeting on terrorism to lay down their markers for the debate that will commence next week on the inspectors' report. Russia and China, which have veto power, and Germany, which will chair the Security Council in February, also signaled today they were willing to let the inspections continue for months.

snip

"If war is the only way to resolve this problem, we are going down a dead end," de Villepin told reporters. "Already we know for a fact that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs are being largely blocked, even frozen. We must do everything possible to strengthen this process."

[MagnusMat]

I wonder what France is hiding? Maybe the US will find something if we invade Iraq?

[MagnusMat]

I wonder what France is hiding? Maybe the US will find something if we invade Iraq?

[dfwgator]

You forgot to mention the one French victory, against Greenpeace.

[wjcsux]

We need to get out of the UN.
And get the U.N. moved from our shores.

[429CJ]

I just fired my French Maid. Boy, I'm gonna miss that cute uniform.

[quesera]

I wonder what France is hiding? Maybe the US will find something if we invade Iraq?

Also russia, Germany, and China. Their UN representatives must going through several pairs of pants a day, knowing that we are undeterred. We are going to invade Iraq with or without their help, and we will soon uncover what they don't want us know.

[rbmillerjr]

The French are not our friends. The French are not our allies. The French are our enemies.

While the world community line up against the US (excluding the UK)...the French relish their role as anti US leader.

[ARCADIA]

Who gives a rat's *ss what these cowards think.
Actually, some fools gave these cowards a UN veto a few wars back. This means that there is now absolutely no point in going to the UN since that body has effectively been deadlocked by France. We should simply offer to veto ALL Security council resolutions over the next 10 years, and put them out of business. If France can stake out a position before reviewing the inspector's report we can certainly ignore the merits and really bust the mechanism. BTW, lets send Cheech as our new ambassador. Can you smoke pot at the UN?

[demlosers]

France, where the women are really women and their men are too. Hehehe...

[dfwgator]

We wouldn't have had to arm Saddam in the first place had the Ayatollah Khomeini not taken over Iran. And what nation harbored the Ayatollah for 15 years? I just don't know who it could be...could it be......FRANCE?

[KC_Conspirator]

How can France block us? Its a resumption of hostilities from already previously approved UN resolutions.

[wimpycat]

You can say that again. :-)

[RummyChick]

Not knowing much about history I have a question based on the movie the Patriot.

In the bonus section, it was indicated that the only reason we won our independence against the British is because France saved the day with COrnwall. Is this accurate or just liberal HOllywood

[Gritty]

The French have been playing kissy-face with Saddam for years, so this is no surprise. Remember who built Iraq's first reactor?

Bush is playing the feckless French and the spineless UN like a fiddle. When the time to attack is here, we will attack. He is only allowing them to make fools of themselves and prove how toothless they are - as he said months ago. All the UN ever wants to do is talk, and the bigger the threat the louder the useless talk and the more excuses they make for their inaction.

Let em all eat brie!

[Dog Gone]

If France can stake out a position before reviewing the inspector's report we can certainly ignore the merits and really bust the mechanism.

It doesn't matter whether France has a veto or not. The UN has no teeth. It's a debating body designed to let countries blow off steam instead of missiles.

Where is the UN on the North Korea situation? Nowhere to be seen. That's because we're trying regional diplomacy instead of public debate.

It's actually too bad that there won't be a resolution that France vetoes. It would prove Bush's point that the UN is irrelevant when it comes to solving the tough problems.

[Tares]

bttt

[Anoy11_]

[ARCADIA]

France was a key ally during the US Revolutionary War. They provided materials, training, troops, and most important a first rate navy. However, most of those who helped us lost their heads during the French revolution.

[Wphile]

Which senator?

Orrin Hatch (R) Utah.

[Wphile]

The UN? Let's see...

We have Lybia chairing the Human Rights Committee and

Germany will be chairing the Security Council.

The UN is a complete laughing stock. Oh how I wish we would call for the dissolution of the UN. Or at least refuse to fund any of it.