Posted on 02/15/2003 5:24:56 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Edited on 04/22/2004 12:35:31 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
NEW YORK
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said the international community cannot doubt its common commitment to make sure Saddam is disarming, but he reiterated that inspections are the way to do this."The option of inspections has not been taken to the end; it can provide an effective end," de Villepin said. "Real progress is emerging."
Speaking about U.S. claims that links can be found between Iraq and Al Qaeda, de Villepin said, "Nothing allows us to establish such links."
He said the use of force would be "fraught with risk" for people and the region, and that "it should only be envisioned as a last resort."
"No one today can claim that the path of war will be shorter than the path of inspection" nor that it will lead to a "safer, more just, more stable world … for war is always the sanction of failure," de Villepin said. "The use of force is not justified at this time."
The French minister called for the ministers to convene again on March 14 for another update.
French PM: "It's Great to Be Collaborating with Germany Again!"
Mark Steyn: Marching for terror
And why I will not [join anti-war demo, by an Iraqi living in the UK]
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my United Kingdom ping list!. . .don't be shy. 
I don't know what Shroeder's problem is...
LOL! Well, they've always thought they were, anyway. They must be really happy now that the press seems to agree with them.
Yes, she was OUTSTANDING! It is funny how two of the countries that we once had to fight wars against are now are closest of allies, while the country that had been our first and most important ally for two centuries, a country that we had to spill much American blood for to rescue TWICE, is now fast becoming one of our main enemies.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm betting Bush will come up with something to get them (France,Germany,Russia and China) to jump on board. After what, 17(?) resolutions against Iraq and the UN thinks they're going to cooperate now? It's the same old cat and mouse games from SADdam. If the UN doesn't quickly pass a strong use of force resolution to cover Blair, like Bush has said, they are 'irrelevant'. Of course, FReepers have known that all along.
Check THIS out too:
Excellent ! Thanks for the post !This bears repeating. Not too unlike Churchill's speech of yesteryear?
Tony Blair: The price of my conviction
But there are also consequences of 'stop the war'. There will be no march for the victims of Saddam, no protests about the thousands of children that die needlessly every year under his rule, no righteous anger over the torture chambers which if he is left in power, will remain in being.
I rejoice that we live in a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process. But I ask the marchers to understand this.
I do not seek unpopularity as a badge of honour. But sometimes it is the price of leadership and the cost of conviction.
If there are 500,000 on the [Stop the War] march, that is still less than the number of people whose deaths Saddam has been responsible for. If there are one million, that is still less than the number of people who died in the wars he started.
So if the result of peace is Saddam staying in power, not disarmed, then I tell you there are consequences paid in blood for that decision too. But these victims will never be seen, never feature on our TV screens or inspire millions to take to the streets. But they will exist none the less.
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of England walk out to address the media in Cross Hall at the White House Nov. 7. "We've got no better friend in the world than Great Britain," said the President during his remarks. White House photo by Paul Morse.
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