Bush, Rumsfeld Warn Against Delay on Iraq [McCain: "vacuous posturing"]

AP ^ | 2/8/03 | ROBERT BURNS

[P8riot]

McCain accused the Germans and French of "calculated self-interest."

I meant to add something about the pot calling the kettle black............

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

LOL, up next: North Korea as head of the UN Commission for nuclear disarmamnet.

Cuba to head the UN Commission on Economic Development.

[Wait4Truth]

I thought I read earlier that Germany has given in...could be wrong.

[Wait4Truth]

The headline led me to believe that McCain was accusing Dubya and/or Rummy of "vacuous posturing." Glad to find that's not the case. I'm no fan of McCain, but I would have been stunned...

That's what I thought, too! I sure was glad to see that McCain wasn't once again attempting to undermine the President. However, he will do so soon enough. You heard it here first.

[Wait4Truth]

Rumsfeld is fantastic. The media prefers Powell because he tends to be a dove...but I'll take Rummy every time. The media puts him down because he tells it like it is...same reason they hate President Bush. They much prefer the lying, evasive diplo-speak of clinton.

[Let's Roll]

I don't know why we continue to try to persuade the irrational. The bottom line is we are the target, they are not. They don't get a vote. Of course, they will be the target if we go down, but logic is not the liberals' forte. (sorry for the French word :) )

[Dog Gone]

The media operates as a pack. Until the New York Times or Washington Post points out what I said, the rest of them don't have the analytical ability to see what's really happening.

I'm actually rather pessimistic about Monday. The fact that the Dutch decided to send Patriot missiles to Turkey on their own is a hint that they don't expect NATO to do it collectively.

I knew that a war in Iraq would change the Middle East. I never foresaw that it would throw Europe into diplomatic chaos.

This even threatens the existence of the EU.

[Let's Roll]

The UN will be out of the US in less than five years - if it even exists by that time.

[Dog Gone]

Germany has said that it stands by NATO's commitments, but that it wants to wait until after Blix's next report on Friday before actually making that commitment. Blah blah blah.

We're out of time. Blix's report will be neutral. "We've made progress but more progress is needed." Germany won't commit then, either.

The game is over.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

As is so often said, Sept 11th changed everything!

[happygrl]

I do not see how NATO can survive this treachery.

[aristeides]

"Peace in our time" came from Munich too, didn't it?

[angry elephant]

This even threatens the existence of the EU.

What a Dog Gone shame, heh?

[aristeides]

A recent issue of Foreign Affairs contained a lead article calling for amending the North Atlantic Treaty so that members who do not fulfill their obligations can be expelled.

[prognostigaator]

"We must not accept the logic of a military campaign," Fischer said. "We must give the inspectors more time."

To find nothing.

[Bonaparte]

"This even threatens the existence of the EU."

Breaks your heart, doesn't it?

[Dog Gone]

The EU was a terrible idea, and its destruction would be quite an accomplishment. I'm not sure whether the Euro could be undone, or even whether it should be, the EU was a horrible idea from the start.

[TEXOKIE]

"...If those countries block it, NATO is dead as an alliance. It will also indicate that no UN Resolution authorizing force will pass.

It is incredible to me that these nations would sacrifice NATO in order to protect Saddam Hussein, but that's what it's coming down to.

Europe will either fracture on Monday, or it will decide to follow the US lead and do the right thing.

MONDAY IS A DECISIVE DAY IN WORLD HISTORY."

I appreciate your analysis, DG. Very well said.

[Jan Kees]

From the article: NATO officials are to meet Monday in an attempt to resolve the conflict over defensive aid for Turkey

The Dutch have already faithfully responded to Turkey's request and will send at the end of next week three (of the country's four) Patriot systems and 370 soldiers to man them.

At the end of the week, the acting Prime Minister called the inspections a "foolish game" (or something like that; I can't remember the Dutch phrase), while the Foreign Affairs Minister was in D.C. with Powell to discuss the details US's request for military cooperation.

[visitor]

I fear leadership failures of our past,
korea, cuba, vietnam,'90stragedies
and do not want to add another, as
being the demise of civilization
more than the parallels with Rome
and to go further back in history,
I suggest Donald Kagan's book
"On the Origins of War and the
Preservation of Peace" ...rto

once again and again and again...
the dems and dems-witted are not
rallying around the flag