Free Republic

... The average Frenchman listening to state-run France Inter radio or Antenne 2 television during the first week of the war in Iraq saw the United States spiraling toward a humiliating defeat, and Bush, the "cowboy" president, headed for ignominy if not impeachment. In tones that mixed elation and awe, newsmen and pundits began speculating on how the Middle East would look the day after the United States lost the war against Saddam. Wouldn't this dramatic display of U.S. vulnerability encourage other nations and terrorist groups to challenge overrated U.S. military might?...

RIYADH, 24 September — US President George W. Bush yesterday commended Saudi Arabia’s support to fight terrorism. He said Washington’s friendly relations with Riyadh were needed to counter terrorism and push Middle East peace forward. "We have worked together to confront our common threats like terrorism and establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East," Bush said in a message of greetings to Prince Abdullah, the regent, on the occasion of the Kingdom’s National Day. "Our success in achieving those objectives would only be possible if we managed to safeguard the close friendly relations between our countries," the...