THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY...AGAIN

French now say war maybe was a good idea (CHENE BLIGNAUT, April 23, 2003, Christian Science Monitor

Natalie Lavarra is having second thoughts about her position on the Iraq war.

''I still think it was right of [French President Jacques] Chirac to say no to the war,'' says the Paris secretary. ''But when I saw how happy the Iraqis were . . . I had to ask myself whether we didn't perhaps make a mistake.'' [...]

Chirac's staunch resistance boosted his popularity to an all-time high. But despite still scoring 65 percent approval ratings in French polls, his role has changed from that of an international hero walking the moral high ground to what appears to be a sulking lone voice, fighting not to be excluded from sharing in the spoils of the war.

The result, says Alain Madelin, a Conservative politician who opposed France's war policy, is that Chirac has been presented as Saddam's best friend.

''The Iraqis feel today they had been liberated without--and even against--the will of France,'' he says.

With apologies to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: The French--ten generations of imbeciles is enough. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 23, 2003 1:21 PM