Replies

France is playing a dangerous, very high stakes game.

They are threatening the continued viability of the EU project, an experiment on which they have based all of their expectations and hopes for the future. Clearly, they envisioned an EU in which they would be the dominant player. Clearly, they envisioned an EU that would emerge as a rival of the United States, and one day, a true "superpower", both militarily and economically.

I believe the Chirac government is using the Iraq situation in an effort to drive a wedge between the US and Britain (it is no secret that Paris wants Blair gone, tomorrow) and to possibly destroy or permanently weaken NATO, with an eye towards replacing the traditional Atlantic alliance with a distinctly European defense arrangement, an arrangement that would have France at the center.

However, if they fail, France is even more marginalized than before. If the Iraqi campaign and the aftermath reveals French perfidy in conjunction with Saddam and exposes their diplomatic bluster as only so much cover for their own misdeeds, they are finally finished as a "world power". The Eastern European nations will be drawn even more strongly into Washington and London's orbit and Paris will be left on the outside looking in. Not to mention being cut out of the benefits that will come from a remade middle east.

When one thinks about the great risks that Paris is apparently willing to take, it tends to open one's eyes to France's endgame and the importance it places on taking down the United States and elevating itself. It's nothing short of breathtaking.

Briefing.com ^ 08:54 ET Futures indications move to their best levels of the morning following reports that Iraq has asked Iran to allow Saddam Hussein to flee via Iran to political exile in Russia... As such, the indices remain poised for a solidly higher open

An increasingly likely scenario is that Saddam will flee into exile. If that happens, who wins? Who will claim victory?