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US plan to punish France
The Times ^ | April 24, 2003 | Elaine Monaghan

Posted on 04/23/2003 3:08:07 PM PDT by MadIvan

FRANCE may find itself shut out of US diplomatic business as a punishment for trying to derail the war in Iraq, despite offering a post-invasion olive branch this week, US officials said yesterday.

Dick Cheney, the Vice-President, and Donald Rumsfeld, the Defence Secretary, are eager to make France pay, but have yet to settle a row with the State Department about whether to do so, officials told The Times.

Although there is no suggestion of trade sanctions or other severe moves, one idea is to expand the “quad” — the informal forum grouping Britain, France, Germany and the United States, which meets in secret to hammer out common positions.

Countries that supported the war, such as Italy, Poland and Spain could be included in the forum, diluting the influence of France and Germany, which opposed the war. The quad is so powerful and so resented by other allies that it is a diplomatic taboo to mention its name.

The debate led to a Cabinet-level meeting being cancelled last Thursday, an official said. It was reconstituted as a meeting of deputies, but broke up without a decision. “However, there is agreement that they are going to punish France,” the official said.

France made an expression of support for suspend- ing “non-military” sanctions against Iraqi civilians, a step towards the US position.

Colin Powell, the Secretary of State, was asked on television yesterday if France would face consequences for “standing up to the United States like that”. He responded: “Yes.”


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: blair; bush; chirac; collateralbenefits; france; iraq; iraqifreedom; nonallyfrance; postwariraq; punishment; saddam; turass; uk; us; war
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Good, make sure the weasels suffer appropriately for what they've done.

Regards, Ivan


1 posted on 04/23/2003 3:08:07 PM PDT by MadIvan
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To: knews_hound; faithincowboys; hillary's_fat_a**; redbaiter; MizSterious; Krodg; hoosiermama; ...
Bump!
2 posted on 04/23/2003 3:08:17 PM PDT by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
How about sponsoring a change to the UN charter to eliminate France as a permanent member of the Security Council?
3 posted on 04/23/2003 3:12:33 PM PDT by My2Cents ("Well....there you go again.")
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To: MadIvan
This one's for you Chirac!

 

4 posted on 04/23/2003 3:15:08 PM PDT by Incorrigible
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To: My2Cents
How about sponsoring a change to the UN charter to eliminate France as a permanent member of the Security Council?

What if France can veto that?

5 posted on 04/23/2003 3:16:44 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: mhking
The "Quad"

Why haven't we hear about that on Coast to Coast yet?

6 posted on 04/23/2003 3:18:05 PM PDT by Shermy (Full disclosure of Food For Oil books...No Compromise!!!)
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To: MadIvan
revenge can be sweet...
7 posted on 04/23/2003 3:20:26 PM PDT by mystery-ak (The War is not over for me until my hubby and son's boots hit U.S. soil.)
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To: MadIvan
The Quad traditionally included all G7 WTO partners.
8 posted on 04/23/2003 3:21:26 PM PDT by Nebullis
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To: Nebullis
Brit Hume just said that Powell's statement caused an uproar in the French press. Sanctions and even going to war with France were mentioned. Powell and the USA embassador to France had a good laugh before they called the French embassador.

Darn, where can I find the French newspapers? I would like to read of this hysteria. LOL
9 posted on 04/23/2003 3:27:54 PM PDT by Conservababe (I calls it like I sees it.)
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To: MadIvan
Punish, punish, and punish again.
10 posted on 04/23/2003 3:28:33 PM PDT by tomahawk
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To: Dog Gone
What if France can veto that?

What if they are inexplicably absent that day?

11 posted on 04/23/2003 3:30:54 PM PDT by RightWhale (Theorems link concepts; proofs establish links)
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To: MadIvan
Better still, fire France and Germany, keep our great ally Britain, then add our great ally Australia, then Spain, Italy, and Poland and call it the Big Six.
12 posted on 04/23/2003 3:32:34 PM PDT by GatĂșn(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
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To: MadIvan
Does anyon agree with me that MadIvan is FAST (to post) and should DownSize his Flag?
13 posted on 04/23/2003 3:32:39 PM PDT by Freeper
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To: MadIvan
You mean punish them for what they didn't do. Of course they tried to protect their oil interests, as well as other things, but as we all know failed miserably.
14 posted on 04/23/2003 3:32:48 PM PDT by vpintheak (Our Liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain!)
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To: My2Cents
How about sponsoring a change to the UN charter to eliminate France as a permanent member of the Security Council?

That has less chance of passing than a similar change to eliminate the US veto in the Security Council.

15 posted on 04/23/2003 3:38:06 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Rest in pieces Saddam!)
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To: MadIvan
GW "Zot/Frying" Frog Legs, starting with ChIraq!


16 posted on 04/23/2003 3:39:34 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (Being a Monthly Donor to Free Republic is the Right Thing to do!)
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To: MadIvan

You did not play nice, zo no catsuop por vouz"

17 posted on 04/23/2003 3:41:19 PM PDT by BigLittle
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To: Conservababe
From what I've read, 99% of French newspapers never let the truth get in the way of a good story...

Prairie
18 posted on 04/23/2003 3:44:18 PM PDT by prairiebreeze ("We will not deny, ignore or pass our problems along to other Presidents"---GW Bush)
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To: Dog Gone
You have a point. Frankly, I don't know how France could be kicked off the Security Council, but the fact they still have veto authority is more evidence that the way the UN functions and is organized, it's becoming more of an anachronistic hold-over of the post-WW2 world that is rapidly becoming irrelevant.
19 posted on 04/23/2003 3:44:36 PM PDT by My2Cents ("Well....there you go again.")
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To: MadIvan
If France fears we are about to go to war with them, that should secure their cooperation... er, collaboration.
20 posted on 04/23/2003 3:44:44 PM PDT by thoughtomator (I predict hysteria at the UN)
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