September 27, 2004
JE COMPRENDS, JACQUES
No French or German turn on Iraq (Jo Johnson, Betrand Benoit and James Harding, Financial Times, 9/26/04)
French and German government officials say they will not significantly increase military assistance in Iraq even if John Kerry, the Democratic presidential challenger, is elected on November 2.The French and the Germans are not willing to fight for American principles. Senator Kerry should understand that if anyone does. Posted by David Cohen at September 27, 2004 8:20 PMMr Kerry, who has attacked President George W. Bush for failing to broaden the US-led alliance in Iraq, has pledged to improve relations with European allies and increase international military assistance in Iraq.
"I cannot imagine that there will be any change in our decision not to send troops, whoever becomes president," Gert Weisskirchen, member of parliament and foreign policy expert for Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party, said in an interview.
When you think of it, the Senator's and Wesley Clark's position is extremely patronizing to the Europeans. It implies they opposed Iraq because the President spoke sharply to them and that they would have been delighted to join in if only he had been politer.
Posted by: Peter B at September 27, 2004 8:35 PMOf course, it's even better, with the wonderful French idea of a peace conference, where the "insurgemts" in Iraq get invited and the total withdrawal of US forces is negotiated. If we hold the talks in Paris, we can probably convince JFK it's 1970 again!
Posted by: brian at September 28, 2004 12:45 AM