Three Miscreants (Punish France, ignore Germany, and forgive Russia)

Washington Post ^ | 04/13/03 | Jim Hoagland

[Pokey78]

Three commandments drive the Bush administration's big-power strategy beyond Iraq: Punish France, ignore Germany, and forgive Russia. That vivid formula was reportedly suggested in policymaking councils recently by Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser.

That approach is good as an easy-to-remember slogan and largely justified as an emotional response to the problems those three "partners" have created for Bush. But it is unlikely to be effective in the furious international logrolling that lies ahead. It might be wiser to herd the three miscreants rather than pick them off one by one.

The views of Rice, an expert on the former Soviet Union, can be decisive with the president, who trusts her totally. But Bush should pause before absolving Vladimir Putin alone, especially after the Russian president's sarcastic attacks Friday on the U.S. war effort as "some new form of colonialism."

[whadizit]

Just heard on MSNBC that Syria now meeting with France, Russia, and Germany. WTF?? They are barking up the wrong tree if they are looking to France for protection!

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[FairOpinion]

"Punish France, ignore Germany, and forgive Russia"

---

That was generally my opinion, until I read this:

Moscow also provided Saddam with lists of assassins available for "hits" in the West and details of arms deals to neighbouring countries. The two countries also signed agreements to share intelligence, help each other to "obtain" visas for agents to go to other countries and to exchange information on the activities of Osama bin Laden, the al-Qa'eda leader.

The documents detailing the extent of the links between Russia and Saddam were obtained from the heavily bombed headquarters of the Iraqi intelligence service in Baghdad yesterday."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/891912/posts

[rogue yam]

Yeah, it seems to me the thing to do is to spend the next few weeks/months (however long it takes) exploiting the intelligence windfall at hand then decide who needs a whippin'.

[Reeses]

Rice, an expert on the former Soviet Union

Expert knowledge of left wing extremism will come in handy when Rice is elected govenor of California and sets out to clean up the socialist rats nest.

[MrPeanut]

I have a notion the main objective of the Iraq war is to flush out our REAL enemies. I guess we found out.

[The Wizard]

I may never forgive France and deVillipan

I'm sure they could care less, but for my money, I'm done with the french until they appologize....

send back Euro Disney

[Sabatier]

Funniest post of the day:)

[formercalifornian]

Absolutely right.

Forgive Russia? For this?<a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/891912/posts>Russia helps Saddam kick US</a>

[Nubbytwanger]

No way we should let Russia off the hook on this one. Putin has made a bad mistake and he needs to have his nose rubbed in it. Nothing they can do about it--they need us a lot worse than we need them.

[formercalifornian]

Well, forget the html code. You've got the link already.

[struwwelpeter]

No need to completely forgive Russia, or even partially. Too many dinosavry on Putin's general staff and FSB who cannot change their Cold War mentality.

A smack-down is probably in order, followed by a regime change in the Kremlin. Putin got too cute with GWB.

[McGavin999]

Actually, I think this may help Putin get some of those "cold warriors" out of power. They have completely humiliated Russia. They helped the Iraqis formulate their defenses??????? HA!

I've been so wrong about Russia. I really did hope they were serious about reform, but siding with the French and Germans was just plain stupid.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

We might want to check out this article from LibertyPost.org before we forgive Pooty-poot.


Title: Revealed: Russia spied on Blair for Saddam
Source: Telegraph
URL Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Published: Apr 12, 2003
Author: David Harrison
Post Date: 2003-04-12 20:40:16 by David Paul
8 Comments


Top secret documents obtained by The Telegraph in Baghdad show that Russia provided Saddam Hussein's regime with wide-ranging assistance in the months leading up to the war, including intelligence on private conversations between Tony Blair and other Western leaders.

Moscow also provided Saddam with lists of assassins available for "hits" in the West and details of arms deals to neighbouring countries. The two countries also signed agreements to share intelligence, help each other to "obtain" visas for agents to go to other countries and to exchange information on the activities of Osama bin Laden, the al-Qa'eda leader.

The documents detailing the extent of the links between Russia and Saddam were obtained from the heavily bombed headquarters of the Iraqi intelligence service in Baghdad yesterday.

The sprawling complex, which for years struck fear into Iraqis, has been the target of looters and ordinary Iraqis searching for information about relatives who disappeared during Saddam's rule.

The documents, in Arabic, are mostly intelligence reports from anonymous agents and from the Iraqi embassy in Moscow. Tony Blair is referred to in a report dated March 5, 2002 and marked: "Subject - SECRET." In the letter, an Iraqi intelligence official explains that a Russian colleague had passed him details of a private conversation between Mr Blair and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, at a meeting in Rome. The two had met for an annual summit on February 15, 2002, in Rome.

The document says that Mr Blair "referred to the negative things decided by the United States over Baghdad". It adds that Mr Blair refused to engage in any military action in Iraq at that time because British forces were still in Afghanistan and that nothing could be done until after the new Kabul government had been set up.

It is not known how the Russians obtained such potentially sensitive information, but the revelation that Moscow passed it on to Baghdad is likely to have a devastating effect on relations between Britain and Russia and come as a personal blow to Mr Blair. The Prime Minister declared a "new era" in relations with President Putin when they met in Moscow in October 2001 in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks.

In spite of warnings by the British intelligence and security services of increasing Russian espionage in the West, Mr Blair fostered closer relations with Mr Putin, visiting his family dacha near Moscow, supporting the Russians in their war in Chechnya, and arranging for the Russian president to have tea with the Queen.

Mr Blair was surprised and dismayed when Mr Putin joined France in threatening to veto the American and British resolution on Iraq in the UN, but continued to differentiate between President Putin and President Jacques Chirac.

The Prime Minister refused to join the French, German and Russian leaders in their summit on Iraq this weekend, but still regarded Mr Putin as an ally in global politics.

The list of assassins is referred to in a paper dated November 27, 2000. In it, an agent signing himself "SAB" says that the Russians have passed him a detailed list of killers. The letter does not describe any assignments that the assassins might be given but it indicates just how much Moscow was prepared to share with Baghdad. Another document, dated March 12, 2002, appears to confirm that Saddam had developed, or was developing nuclear weapons.

Full article

[BenLurkin]

Plus this: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/891873/posts?page=5#5

[Gamecock]

[Intolerant in NJ]

... Punish France...just being French would seem punishment enough....

[Mike Darancette]

That was generally my opinion, until I read this.

I would want to see better sources than that and OBTW if a news organization is collecting documents in Iraq and not immediately turning them over to the US military they should be kicked out.