I don't think it's just a hoax. We really are threatening an invasion, and the invasion will eventually come. It just isn't going to come tomorrow.
As for France and Germany, I have the impression that they aren't intentionally helping the U.S., that we're merely taking advantage of what we know their policy to be. I think that the U.S. government is, in fact, genuinely perturbed at the willingness of the body politic in France and Germany to dump their ties with the U.S., but we'll make the best we can of it.
I don't think the whole thing is just a pretense or charade, since it would be difficult to make the relationships with France and Germany whole again afterwards, given that the charade could never be openly admitted.
I have the feeling, however, that Russia may be different, that Putin may possibly be consciously cooperating in this bizarre game. But I don't know, maybe Chirac is too. (I find it hard to believe that Schröder is being purposely helpful, but I guess there might be other elements in the German government who are.)