FRANCE WILL NOT JOIN COALITION

AP

[Recovering_Democrat]

*********URGENT FROM THE AP***********

PARIS –– British Prime Minister Tony Blair fails to persuade France to join coalition ready to take quick action against Iraq.

[Maximus_Ridiculousness]

We didn't need them anyway!!!

[Mr. Silverback]

"Going to war without French approval is like going hunting without an accordion."

[Search4Truth]

"I agree. In the post-war Iraq, America and her allies need to be sure the new government and the people fully understand how France dealt with Saddam: how they coddled him, wanted him to continue ruling, and refused to liberate them."

Good point. I pray that the Iraqi people will make good use of the opportunity we are giving them, to make a dramatic improvement in their lives. It will be an opportunity afforded them by the blood, sweat and tears of good American and Brittish men. They will make of it what they will.

[MamaLucci]

It is now reasonable to ask whether the United States should now or on any other occasion subordinate vital national interests to a show of hands by nations who do not share our interests," he added.

Perle tells it like it is!

[Dqban22]

FRANCE: SADDAM'S ALLY

---

February 4, 2003 -- CRITICS of President Bush say he has failed to rally our "traditional allies" - like France - to support his aggressive efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein. But since the Gulf War, in which France had token involvement, Paris has never been our ally where Iraq is concerned. Indeed, it has been more allied with Iraq than with us.
Throughout the '90s, France constantly pushed for the lifting of economic sanctions against Iraq. Bemoaning the fate of the Iraqi people, the French pushed to allow Saddam to sell oil on the global market (the so-called oil-for-food program). When America and Britain demanded tough controls on the funds from oil sales to be sure they did not go for arms, France objected that such controls would undermine Iraqi sovereignty.

Largely as a result of French pressure, the oil-for-food program was implemented, allowing Saddam to sell 500,000 barrels per day on the open market (about a sixth of his pre-war production).

But Saddam couldn't do much rearming with the oil money, because U.N. inspectors were looking over his shoulder. So in November 1997, he announced that he would bar Americans from the 77-member inspection team. The other inspectors withdrew in protest and solidarity with their American mates. The world was plunged into crisis. Once again, France took Saddam's side.

President Bill Clinton sent two aircraft carriers to the gulf and vowed that Saddam "must comply unconditionally with the will of the international community." French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine criticized Clinton for giving Saddam the impression that "there would never be a way out of the tunnel [of sanctions]," even if he got rid of all his weapons programs."

France demanded an end to all sanctions and called for unlimited oil sales by Iraq. Then suddenly Saddam seemed to back down in the face of Clinton's pressure and admitted the U.S. inspectors back in.

Had there been concessions to Saddam? Oh no, said Deputy National Security Adviser Sandy Berger: "There's no deal. There's no concessions."

But the French knew better. As Vedrine said, "The Americans bent a little." Pushed by France, the United States agreed to let Saddam increase his oil sales, ultimately letting sales grow to 2 million barrels per day. A concession to Iraq? No way, said Clinton's people: It was a concession to France; we were not giving in to Saddam.

Then, the next year, Saddam barred all U.N. inspectors. The final nail in the coffin of controls on Iraq came in 1999 when, again as a result of a French initiative, all limits on Iraqi oil sales were lifted. With no U.N. inspectors to inhibit him and $20 million a day in oil revenues, Saddam could build whatever weapons he wanted. Courtesy of France.

The only consistency in French policy toward Iraq since the Gulf War has been support for Saddam Hussein to weaken U.N. and U.S. measures against him. To hinge U.S. action on Iraq on French acceptance is like asking for the approval of the old Soviet Union before we moved against communism.

Why is France so pro-Saddam? It's the motive (wrongly) ascribed as behind U.S. enmity toward him: oil. French commercial deals with Middle East terrorist states dominate its foreign policy. It was a French company that risked U.S. sanctions by investing in Iranian oil production and it is French interests that benefit from the tie with Saddam.

Some ally!

Eventually, France will cave to the U.S. position: To fail to do so would be to consign the Security Council, France's only forum for the exercise of global power, to irrelevance. Bush's people said as much over the weekend, noting that a new U.N. resolution approving force was OK with them, but it's not high on their agenda.

France needs the United Nations to appear to be in charge, so that the French veto can appear to be important - and France can appear to still be a world power.

[reagan_fanatic]

If a French rifle falls in the forest, does it make a sound?

[Porterville]

I was beginning to wonder were the next war would be ignited; glad to see it is with the french (small "f") and not the Russians. Even China seems more reasonable.

[ffusco]

I love it!

[GVnana]

French commercial deals with Middle East terrorist states dominate its foreign policy. It was a French company that risked U.S. sanctions by investing in Iranian oil production and it is French interests that benefit from the tie with Saddam.

Some ally!

In a dark little corner of my heart I want the administration to call the French exactly what they are. But it won't happen. And that's probably for the best. My countrymen will never forget the blood we shed for France.

My Godfather survived the invasion of Normandy. And he still cries for the men who died. The youth of my beautiful country sacrificed on French soil. Our grandfathers, neighbors and friends. We, the common folk of America, will not forget France's quisling cowardice.

Tonight, I'm having a nice California old vine Zinfandel after dinner. And I can easily say I'll never buy a bottle of French wine again as long as I live. (Watch out. When I make an oath, I stick to it.) But my heart is still heavy.

Somehow, I still want to tell the French what as**oles they really are.

[ppaul]

It was fun to write to the French Ambassador, reminding him of the glories of France and suggesting that Chirac was behaving like Daladier, rather than Clemanceau, like Petain rather than Foch. And telling him that the French stand would only ensure the marginalization of France as a power with no longer even the pretence of a right to a seat at the top table.

Worth repeating.

[ppaul]