The Lowdown on the Showdown

[GLDNGUN]

While most are aware by now that President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar will confer Sunday in the Azores, it seems just as many do not realize the weight of this meeting. This truly is a “war council”...

[Travis McGee]

Do you happen to know which Navy in the world besides the US and the UK has built fully Aegis capable warships? The kind that, among other things, can shoot down incoming ICBMs? Fully integrated with the US and the UK with the very latest systems?

Only one other navy, in the world. One guess. Only one.

[George W. Bush]

I like most of what I read here.

I see a few small problems with your new coalition as a formal organization.

• First, it will not be regarded as recognized international institution. Worthless as the U.N. is, it has name recognition, if nothing else.
• Second, for Spain and Britain to go to war, as signatories to the Internation Criminal Court, the only way they can go to war is with U.H. authorization. So, two of the three founders of your hypothetical organization to elude the U.N. would have done so by relying upon the institutional authority of the U.N. Not a great premise. Naturally, since W. vetoed the ICC, we're not bound by it.
• There is also some problem with trying to found a new international organization in the midst of a war of limited duration and whose postwar occupation is advertised to be only a few years. Now, it may be that Iraq is only the opening salvo in a much broader campaign to impose what might be called the Bush Doctrine in the Middle East and to alter the future of Europe as well. But that is not a publicly proclaimable goal of such an organization.

Still, I liked your post and wouldn't be unhappy to see an organization like that created if it paved the way to destroy the U.N. global governance crowd.

[FreeReign]

...I do mean to dispute the characterization of the U.S., Spain and Britian as the "Big 3" of today.

U.S., Britian and Spain ----->3

[cibco]

"I don't mean to insult your ancestors, but I do mean to dispute the characterization of the U.S., Spain and Britian as the "Big 3" of today."

"Big 3" could mean "as in refering" to the countries taking the initiative in this play. Other countries will be signing on to this. Go back and read the post.

Is your other eye blind?

[UnBlinkingEye]

Do you happen to know which Navy in the world besides the US and the UK has built fully Aegis capable warships? The kind that, among other things, can shoot down incoming ICBMs? Fully integrated with the US and the UK with the very latest systems?

Shoot down incoming ICBMs? Why it looks like we can cancel that new missle defense system Mr. Bush wants since we already have one.

Only one other navy, in the world. One guess. Only one.

Are you sure Mr. McGee? I believe that I read that the Japanese have fully Aegis capable warships.

[GLDNGUN]

Miss Marple, Any look into the future is speculating to a certain extent. I don't have a crystal ball, and as I said it's a fluid situation. If you have been following the news the past 24 hours, we've gone from "there may not be second resolution" to "there likely won't be a second resolution". You should consider this as preparation for the coming news that "there won't be a second resolution". It really is a high stakes poker game. The French want to push us to see how desperate we are for a second resolution. If they see that we will simply move on without a second resolution it's possible they could make a dramatic change of mind. Likely? Hardly.

As you correctly note, the "Big 3" are UN security members. This is why they are there; however, expect to hear from others.

[Polybius]

Did Hitler attack Poland?

Yes. In 1939.

Did the Allies attack Hitler in 1935 when Hitler renounced and violated the Versailles Treaty prohibition against German re-armament?

No.

How many lives did the failure to attack Hitler in 1935 cost between 1939 and 1945?

Forty million lives in the European Theater of World War II.

How many lives will be lost in the next decade or two if Saddam Hussein is allowed to develop weapons of mass destruction and the terrorist networks and missile systems to deliver them to the United States, Israel and Europe.

Do you really want to find the answer to that question in a history book some day?

[rlbedfor]

"The coalition of the willing", "Old Europe", The fight over the EU between France/Germany and UK, "You are with us or against us", WE THE US ARE DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT DEALING WITH ALL THESE NUTS

Kindof all fits together if you listen

[Theresa]

"I think it's a mistake not to pull out of the UN. There will be another president in a few years and he just might reinvigorate it and it will have new lease on life to work it's evil in the world."

I've been saying that the Dems will never let the UN die. Watch for all of them to campaign on "healing the rift with the UN which was caused by the evil Bush administration. " That will resonate, because most Dems love the UN. So I really don't understand all this glee that the UN is going to be discredited. As soon as a Dem gets in office it will be revived. The bottom line good news is that Saddam will be gone, Iraq will be free and America will be more secure. This probably will not get Bush re-elected, cause the world to love us or humilate France. But we will know that evil was defeated and our country and loyal allies did it and that's all that matters.

[deport]

About three dozen cargo ships with the 4th Infantry Division's weaponry, equipment and supplies have been waiting off the Turkish coast for weeks, and the troops are still at their base in Fort Hood, Texas.

I don't know what the troop deployment for the 4th Infantry was but I think this has a lot to do with the delay we've seen in the last few days/weeks. You have got to rearrange the plans and surely don't want to go without all your assets in place.

[Polybius]

I don't mean to insult your ancestors, but I do mean to dispute the characterization of the U.S., Spain and Britian as the "Big 3" of today.

That's O.K. Back during the Battle of Lepanto, my ancestors were the Big Dog (the Spanish Empire) and today I'm still part of the Big Dog (the USA). ;-)

I must agree, however. "Big 3" is not a good name.

[GLDNGUN]

I have been feeling this way, but there may be a case for staying in and letting it wither, eg.: (i) we may need it for other issues, eg., NK, (ii) better to be inside to keep an eye on what's going on. I do think we should insist that our share of the costs of the UN be reduced significantly.

Good analysis. After we clean up the mess in Iraq, we can go back to the UN and say "OK, here is another chance to prove your value to the world. Do something, or we will." If they fail to act AGAIN, the new coalition will take care of business. Japan and Australia are not eager to have a nuclear NK in their neighborhood and will be a big partner in helping with that little problem. After a new coalition disarms another tyrant it will become quite obvious how useless the UN is.

[GLDNGUN]

What happened to the Italians? I thought that they were in our corner. Add them in and it could be the Big 4.

The Italians are with us. They are also helping quite a bit right now in the hunt for Osama, as some of their elite commandos are working in concert with ours.

[GLDNGUN]

Where do the other possible 'alliance of the willing' members stand (those who will participate)? Australia? How do we stand for non-combatant partners? Italy? Japan? Poland?

They are with us as strong as ever. They will need our help in the very near future.

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks a lot for this post! It sure made my evening.It's the best news I've had tonight!

[GLDNGUN]

Does france realize yet that they've **** in their mess kit?

I'm afraid they are a little too smug and cocky for their own good at this point.

[UnBlinkingEye]

Thanks for the informed reply, I must admit my knowledge of the demise of the Spanish empire is for the most part limited to the defeat of the Armada.

I am opposed to empires in general and particulary an American empire. I prefer that we observe the Constitution and listen to the wisdom expressed in Washington's Farewell Address.

[GLDNGUN]

Chirac has unwittingly made it a no lose situation for Blair to go to war without the UN resolution. He will certainly be finished politically if he submits to Chirac's ploy...so Blair's best chances now are to join the US and have victory in Iraq. I believe Chirac the worm has overplayed his hand

That is about the size of it. The Brits may want to go to war to put France in their place as much as to liberate Iraq.

[deport]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/865196/posts?

The time is being marked in days now or even possibly in hours.... It isn't long, imo

[GLDNGUN]

"Big 3" is not a good name

I apologize if I gave the wrong impression. The US, UK, and Spain certainly will NOT call themselves the "Big 3". LOL That is completely my term, or shorthand for the countries to be represented there. They indeed are the "Big 3" of this coalition.