Posted on 09/13/2001 6:19:54 PM PDT by dighton
POLITICAL leaders in France and Germany urged President Bush yesterday to avoid a belligerent response, as fears grew in Europe of the consequences of swift and ruthless military reaction to the terrorist attacks.
Lionel Jospin, the French Prime Minister, said the Americans should be "reasonable" in their response. Alain Richard, his defence minister, said the attacks were "not acts of war".
The comments, echoed by senior German ministers if not by the Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, contradicted statements by President Bush and his Secretary of State Colin Powell.
M Jospin said: "We must vigorously condemn and combat terrorism. But we must not allow ourselves to be led into considerations of a conflict between the western world and the Islamic world, where we have many friends and partners."
The remarks from the Socialist prime minister were aimed at reassuring both the France's political Left and its Muslim population, which numbers six million. But they will be seen as further evidence of disagreements between France and America on big foreign policy issues.
The comments by M Richard will also undermine American confidence in France's commitment to joint reprisals as outlined by Nato members on Wednesday. He said: "I think that this was a terrorist attack of particular gravity.
"American democracy is clearly endangered by such action, but in my opinion a war is something else entirely." France disagrees with US policy on missile defence, the bombing of Iraq and what it sees as American cultural imperialism.
Rudolf Scharping, the German defence minister, also cautioned against launching swift military strikes. "I hope we all remain calm and do not now speak of a state of alarm. We do not face a war.
"We face the question of what is an appropriate response," he told German television. "Not in the sense of revenge and retribution, but in order to be able to fight and break international terror."
France's maverick health minister, Bernard Kouchner, went as far yesterday as to put the attacks down to a "series of errors" by America. "America's made a real mistake in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was to train the Taliban," M Kouchner said.
"To think now that there is some kind of consensus of 'honourable' nations against the 'bad' terrorists, is simply not true."
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2001.</font color>
Want to take bets that your anti-"Israel" attitudes make some people happy? Like your Arab buddies dancing in the street, handing out candy, and shooting off guns....they are thrilled at the murder of MY fellow Americans, Bertie....and they think of Israel just like you do. I'll be you've made them very happy, and you started that a long, long time ago.
I would suggest to these pusillanimous Nazis and Nazi sympathizers that they had better either stop holding back any special information which proves that these terrorist acts are "not acts of war" or else shut their lying mouths.
I would suggest to these pusillanimous Nazis and Nazi sympathizers that they had better either stop holding back any special information which proves that these terrorist acts are "not acts of war" or else shut their lying mouths.
He thinks Palestinians are good and Isralis are evil. Hope that explains his disgusting attitude.
I would suggest to these pusillanimous Nazis and Nazi sympathizers that they had better either stop holding back any special information which proves that these terrorist acts are "not acts of war" or else shut their lying mouths.
You know, it's funny, but I think they are! Perfect response, btw, kudos.
Same here! I am so thankful my French ancestors left that cesspool of creeps and escaped to the U.S. These spineless traitors collaborated with the Nazis and cannot be depended on to stand up for justice in any crisis. They make me sick!
From: Lt-Col Lord Walsingham, Thetford, Norfolk
Date: 14 September 2001
SIR - I have this advice for President Bush. Declare war on Afghanistan at once for harbouring Osama bin Laden, with the warning that peace will not follow until he is captured and tried by the UN in the United States. Issue an ultimatum that any nation succouring or supporting Afghanistan will be treated as having declared war on America.
Prepare an invasion force and occupy the country. A single division well supported in the air should be sufficient. More occupation troops may have to follow. If bin Laden escapes, declare war on whichever nation harbours him.
Although elderly, I am still remarkably fit, engaging in hard manual labour. I should be pleased to serve as a foot soldier in any invasion force. Those of us with experience of Nazism know how to respond.
This is more typical than that Guardian crap posted earlier today.
I agree. Who cares what the French think. Tell them we will fly over your country and if you mess with us you are next!
Spinal cord injuries are unknown in La Belle France.
A can of anchovies has more backbone than the entire cheese-eating surrender monkey country.
OK, I was just kidding. However, when the truth comes out, even the Libery incident will seem small by comparison.
For most of the 20th Century, the national motto of France was, "Surrender now, avoid the rush".
I see that they plan to maintain it for the 21st Century as well.
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