Do you care what France, Germany et al think of the U.S.??

[Sharon A.]

Babar, you took the words right out of my mouth (or at least right out of my keyboard).

 

[fklhou]

Is have been truly amazing what a bad job of diplomacy the Bush administration has done on this issue.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

Poor diplomacy? I think he waited wayyyy too long.

 

[crazymomof4]

I'm having trouble thinking of millions of individuals as "they" and lumping them all into a category based on where on the earth they happened to be born. We don't know what ALL of the French and German people think of "us". On the news last night a French girl who was interviewed was in favor of US military action. She couldn't possibly have been the ONLY one in the whole country! Sure, we see Anti-American/Anti-War protests in these countries but if we are going to hate an entire nation based on that, then we would have to include the US to our list. Look at all the protests going on right here. Are those people expressing the view of our ENTIRE nation.....no. Same goes for France and Germany.
I know one person in Germany who doesn't hate me bc. I'm American......my 82 yo Grandmother!

 

[Saffron]

Great post babar.

 

[SeaShelley]

"Is have been truly amazing what a bad job of diplomacy the Bush administration has done on this issue."

HUH? What was he supposed to do? Toss his hands in the air and call the whole thing off because France and Germany don't have our back? I think we've waited too long to take care of this monster once and for all.

IMO the Bush administration is having to deal with this issue now only because our former president was too busy conducting "other business" in the Oval Office to follow up Hussein's activities.

 

[GeorgeG]

Ya know, if Bush and the administration were all the protesters are calling them, a good portion of the middle east would have been turned to rubble on September 12, 2001! They've been very patient waiting for diplomacy to work. It hasn't (no surprise) and now action has been taken.

If you're paying attention to the news, we're not just bombing all of Iraq, but taking careful aim at stratigic objectives. This isn't a war against the Iraqi people. Many of them are aready celebrating being liberated, you know, like France was twice in the last century...

When we're done, the people of Iraq will have their country back and with our help, begin rebuilding it.

Personally, I wasn't willing to wait for the Sears Tower or Cinderella's Castle to be turned to rubble as enough proof this had to be done.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Originally posted by SeaShelley
[BHUH? What was he supposed to do? Toss his hands in the air and call the whole thing off because France and Germany don't have our back? I think we've waited too long to take care of this monster once and for all.[/B]

While I agree that the international community has waited far too long to deal with Iraq, from my perspective in the UK the Bush regime has made a terrible job of international diplomacy on this issue.

The background to the current diplomatic problems is the deliberate policy of greater unilateralism introduced when George Bush was first elected. Things like reversing previous US commitments on the Kyoto agreement and the refusal to sign up to the international criminal court made for increased frustration with American foreign policy, even from close allies like European countries. There was then the general impression that Bush was dragged to the UN to discuss disarming Iraq, probably against his judgement and certainly against the advice of people like Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. We then had things like Rumsfled asserting that the US could do this job on their own (we now that this is true, but it sounded like he would have preferred this option), and trooping around insulting whole countries (eg France and Germany) by calling them old Europe. Surely Bush knew that sending Rumsfeld to Europe on a diplomatic mission was bound to end up in greater opposition to the war? It is for reasons like this that I think Fklhou is right - the Bush administration has done a very bad job of international diplomacy on the Iraq issue. The only bright light in an otherwise dim performance has been Colin Powell, whose respect in the UK continues to grow.

Having said all that I should emphasis that I think the war is justified, and that the Bush administration is doing the right thing in taking the current action. I would place far greater blame on the French for the breakdown in the United Nations process, although in the longer term I would love to see a general change in Bush's foreign policy.

Regards

Rob

 

[shortbun]

FYI- the term"ugly american" is used world wide.
It is not a term coined in this country. We have
quite a reputation for snobbery and arrogance
around the world. Fortunately for me, I've
travelled extensively. I've been asked to defend
my country on many occasions.
mimi

 

[Laurajean1014]

Right now, Germany, France and Russia are trying (but not succeeding) to rationalize why they were not in support of the US and other nations to free Iraqis' from Saddam dictatorship.

They are also trying to come up with a strategy when the US and UK start finding all those parts, and WoMD with Made in France, Made in Germany and Made in Russia insignias............

The UN now has been reduced to a bunch of smelly, pompeous ninnies.... They should get together with France, Germany and Russia and start a new coaliation - and I believe their colors for their flag should be pink, red and yellow. The colors of shame, remorse and coward.

SHAME ON FRANCE, GERMANY and RUSSIA....

 

[Laurajean1014]

To comment on previous posts in this thread.

Conflicts and wars were fought without the "approval" of the UN in the past, and GWB did not need to get UN approval, he seeked it out for diplomacy!

It was the failure of the UN over the past 12 years to successfully and diplomatically handle a rouge nation run by a rouge dictatorship whom tortures its' own people and disregarded any UN or otherwise rational leadership.

In watching this unfold for over 18 years, I say the only people that failed, was in fact, the UN!

What would you call France trying to exile Saddam in un-UN talks (aka behind the UN and most nations back)???? Diplomacy? Please, now your double standards are showing.....

I support my government, executive cabinet, president and all the troops (US, UK and otherwise) in the middle east fighting for what they believe in, freedom and democracy.

VIVA LA AMERICA

 

[JulesMom]

They are "supposed " to be our allies, but they don't seem to come thru for us

I also find it weird that they say they will support us IF Saddam uses chemical or biological weapons, BUT how can he use them since he doesn't have them.

Just like those SCUDs shot into Kuwait, that he didn't have

 

[MAC3]

I voted I could give a rats A**!

It's always nice to have people like you but when the chips are down (as in life) you find out who your real friend are!

 

[GeorgeG]

I was just thinking about the comments about the UN.

If the UN won't support us, they can always pass a resolution to fight against us. No, wait! They can't do that because they rely on the USA to provide most of the troops and money for those things... Maybe France... no, that wouldn't work either. They don't fight.

Oh well...