Bush Will Ask For Help To Govern Iraq In UN Address

Independent (UK) ^ | 9-22-2003 | Andrew Gumbel

[blam]

Bush will ask for help to govern Iraq in UN address

By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
22 September 2003

One year after he told the United Nations he was prepared to go it alone in Iraq if necessary, President George Bush will return to the UN General Assembly tomorrow to appeal for international help to meet the mounting human and financial cost of maintaining a post-war occupation force.

Mr Bush's cap-in-hand gesture seems unlikely to be accompanied by much humility, however, as the prevailing rhetoric in the United States continues to blast the French for obstructionism and suggests that there is nothing wrong with international co-operation being conducted entirely on American terms.

American officials are furious with France for blocking a draft resolution at the UN Security Council that could have opened the way to greater international participation in Iraq.

Last week, the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman denounced France as "the enemy" for insisting on a speedy return to Iraqi self-rule.

And yesterday Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, advised President Bush to "outsmart" the French by leaving the timetable for a return to Iraqi sovereignty up to the Security Council itself.

A lone voice of dissent has come from Ted Kennedy, the liberal Massachussetts Senator, who has accused the administration of trying to bribe foreign countries.

He pointed to US approval of an $8.5bn (£5.2bn) loan to Turkey, saying this was probably a quid pro quo for the dispatch of Turkish troops to Baghdad.

He pointed also to a recent report by the Congressional Budget Office showing that the Bush administration can account for only $2.5bn of the monthly $4bn being budgeted for Iraq.

"My belief is this money is being shuffled all around to these political leaders in all parts of the world, bribing them to send in troops," said the Massachussetts senator.

A White House spokesman dismissed his allegations as "political rhetoric that have no basis in fact".

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Mr Bush's cap-in-hand gesture seems unlikely to be accompanied by much humility, however,

What idiots, if it's not done with humility, it's not "cap in hand". Looks like if we won't bow to the inferiors, they'll try to make it sound as if we will...

[A CA Guy]

I think this is a proper token offer so we can say we tried to get them involved and DID NOT deny the world to play a role.
Of course we don't need or want them in this at all though, why would we want UN losers involved in this effort?

[Prodigal Son]

This is something Freepers might as well go ahead and get their minds around.

We did the heavy lifting in Iraq. We accomplished what we set out to do. But... We need help now. Nothing to be ashamed of. We will look back on this as a victory unprecendented in military history. History, however, will reflect that it was an international effort that rebuilt Iraq. We need not hang our heads over this. It is the reality in which we discover ourselves...

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Disgusting.

Makes me want to puke.

[Prodigal Son]

Disgusting.

Yep. Well, there it is.

Makes me want to puke.

Don't choke on it. More to come...

[Wiggins]

You may be right but I feel this action will just cause France and Germany to try to humiliate us again in front of the United Nations. If we truly don't want them involved then let’s not ask them. We have tried more than once in the past and it's obvious that these idiots are not our allies or friends. I still believe in our actions in Iraq. I believe they were true, honest and necessary to our national security and security of the free world and the overall war on terrorism. I also feel that we are more than capable of handling this alone. If we are unable to do this alone then the President was wrong for getting us into it in the first place. I'm sorry; constantly going to the United Nations looking for help in my opinion sends the message of weakness. Let the French, Germans and the rest of the United Nations offer their assistance. If they don't, then to hell with them all. I know sometimes there is more at stake than what meets the eye. It could be that the President is trying to get our military and monetary assets out of Iraq ASAP so they can be used elsewhere. I hope it's more of the latter. One thing is certain though, we would be better off if we were out of the United Nations and the United Nations was out of here.

[A CA Guy]

France and Germany fear the Muslim growth going on inside their country and they fear that more than us...as they should.

So rather than fear the nuts in their country, they would rather offend us.