French PM: U.S. Made Triple Mistake Starting Iraq War

Reuters ^ | Thu Apr 3, 2003 | Jon Boyle

[Pharmboy]

PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said on Thursday the United States had made a moral, political and strategic mistake by launching war in Iraq (news - web sites), risking further damage to already strained ties with Washington.

Raffarin told France 3 television that Paris wanted U.S. and British forces to prevail but offered blunt criticism of the U.S. policies that led to the conflict.

There was no immediate reaction from the White House.

"The Americans made a triple mistake: first of all a moral mistake, and I think we have to say this: there was an alternative to war. We could have disarmed Iraq differently."

That was clear by Washington's failure to secure a U.N. resolution authorizing military action should Iraq fail to destroy its alleged weapons of mass destruction, he said.

"Also, (they made) a political mistake, because we know very well the difficulties of this region of the world," he added. "We see how serious the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is, and at any moment it can set the world ablaze. It's a serious political error to start trouble in this region.

"And then, there is a strategic mistake: that today one country can lead the world," he said, arguing that Europe should be one of the major poles of influence in the world.

Raffarin's blunt assessment of U.S. policy appeared at odds with efforts earlier in the week to play down differences with the United States. The French authorities had expressed concern over the anti-U.S. tone of protests against the Iraq war.

On Monday Raffarin urged the nation to remember the United States was a long-standing ally and that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) was a dictator.

"Just because we're against this war doesn't mean we want dictatorship to defeat democracy," he said then. "We are in the democratic camp. The Americans are not enemies."

In Thursday's interview the French prime minister, who traditionally leaves major foreign policy issues to President Jacques Chirac, dismissed suggestions France wanted anything other than a victory of U.S.-British forces.

"I say clearly, there can be no hesitation for France. We cannot be on the side of dictators....We are obviously not in favor of a victory of a dictatorship."

After being savaged as "surrender monkeys" by parts of the U.S. media, and vague threats of a U.S. consumer boycott of French goods, Paris has launched a determined campaign to avoid portrayal as a Saddam sympathizer.

Last week the foreign ministry protested loudly over reports in some British and U.S. media that French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin had refused to publicly state Paris wished a victory of Anglo-American forces fighting in Iraq.

Chirac on Thursday also sought to ease strains caused by France's opposition to the war being fought by British and U.S. troops in Iraq.

He sent a letter of apology to Britain's Queen Elizabeth over the defacing last week of British World War One military graves in northern France with anti-British slogans linked to the fighting in Iraq.

"Know that at a time when your soldiers are engaged in combat, the thoughts of the French are naturally with them," he said. The gesture was welcomed by Downing Street.

[Billthedrill]

Three mistakes? Yeah - (1) trusting France, (2) trusting Germany, (3) trusting Turkey.

[DannyTN]

I agree with you the size of the coalition or even if there is one, simply doesn't matter. We did what was necessary.

I only used that to refute the argument that was made in the orginal article that one nation cannot lead the world. In fact, one nation is leading the world. And the world with a few notable exceptions is following as evidenced by the 49.

[Radix]

Does that mean "double secret probation" for us?

We are really screwed now.

We have upset the French.

[DannyTN]

I'm going to miss belly girl when this is over.

[nkycincinnatikid]

one mistake, happenstance.. two mistakes, coincidence.. three mistakes, Watchout !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Enemy Of The State]

"The Americans made a triple mistake: first of all a moral mistake, and I think we have to say this: there was an alternative to war. We could have disarmed Iraq differently."

Sorry, Americans just arent as Romantic and we couldn't wait any longer for Chirac to get Saddams nut off.

[prairiebreeze]

Phuck Phrance

Prairie

[lafroste]

I saw that picture posted on FR before, and I love it (for several reasons). Thanks for posting...

I agree, I've seen it posted before too and love it. The power and grace of the message are undeniable. The poster she's holding is nice too.

[AF68]

It's utter madness for the United States of America to participate in a debating society charade like the U.N., where the likes of France and Russia have veto power over our national security.

[meatloaf]

"risking further damage to already strained ties with Washington."? What am I missing here? Seems to me we should work on straining that more. Screw patching things up.

I'm hoping to hell the boycott of everything French is hurting. Besides that I'm more than peeved to pick up something in a store and see one whole side of the box printed in French. Screw that too!

[P-Marlowe]

Hey France, you want some Cheese with that whine?

[WOSG]

Non, Mr PM a triple success:

1. Morally the right thing to do, removing an evil regime.

2. Good to challenge the UN's relevence. they failed the test, they are a hollow institution.

3. This will not inflame the region. We are killing the sources of inflammation right now. Terror will decline.

[longtermmemmory]

"""And then, there is a strategic mistake: that today one country can lead the world," he said, arguing that Europe should be one of the major poles of influence in the world. ""

Translation: France is upset the ballance of power has shifted seismicly against them. They are pushing to see a way to get their fantasized power back. Their UN veto has been shown to be impotent. This is just jockeying for position in the post-saddam world.

They are soooooo arogant for saying they know that part of the world better than the USA. Given the constant bloodshed in that region since the roman period, I say no one has any claim to the cosmic knowledge trophy.

By their book we are about to make a fourth we are going to cut france out of the ecconomic picture of rebuilding (AND I hope decrease the value of the Euro as a world currency)

[John Lenin]

"Just because we're against this war doesn't mean we want dictatorship to defeat democracy," he said then. "We are in the democratic camp.

Uh huh, the Europeons have already lost the right of free speech.

Under French law it is a criminal offence to insult the president, carrying a fine of up to 45,000 euros (£30,000).

The French version of democracy, I'll pass.

[bart99]

Withour Britian (and the US) the "Europeans" have no power to have much of an impact on anything that goes on in the world. I think France depleted their entire arsenal by selling it to Iraq anyway. *s*

[Brian Allen]

<< "And then, there is a strategic mistake: that today one country can lead the world," he said, arguing that Europe should be one of the major poles of influence in the world. >>

Several hundred years ago, it used to be.

It blew it's chance.

Particularly France.

And the fact one country now leads the world is not any kind of "mistake," strategic or otherwise -- but is the consequequence of being the only Nation in the History of the Human Species that is Founded in and Stands upon the Principle of Individual Liberty!

[bart99]

Terrific post!!!

[Southack]

The French aren't even good diplomats any longer. Talk about how a Western nation can fall, sheesh.

Triple mistake, what's that, freeing France from Fascists, ending genocide in Germany, and crushing anti-Western terror sponsors?!

Perhaps the French simply don't understand what "mistake" means, as in: Pissing off your largest national customer of wines and champaign is hardly a clever move when your own remnant of a nation already has 9+% unemployment.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"We could have disarmed Iraq differently."

What the Hell fun would THAT have been?? jeez, frogs. go surrender to something.

[bart99]

"3. This will not inflame the region. We are killing the sources of inflammation right now. Terror will decline."

---

And if it doesn't, we'll have a little 'talk' with syria and iran. I think they know we are serious now.