The debt of military buildup under Pres Reagan was an extremely wise investment which resulted in the peace dividend during Clinton's yrs. As usual, France & Germany are cooperating in GA(gg):
Wednesday, 09-Jun-2004 1:30PM Story from AP
SEA ISLAND, Ga. - Seeking to build on rare harmony with Europe after a U.N. vote, President Bush proposed a wider but unspecified role for NATO in post-occupation Iraq. But French President Jacques Chirac immediately objected.
Apart from the dispute over NATO's role, Bush found a generally high degree of agreement among the once-bickering summit partners a day after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution steering Iraq's new government toward elections next year.
Bush introduced Iraq's new president, Ghazi al-Yawer, at the annual Group of Eight economic summit. "We're pulling for him," the president said.
Bush discussed the possible expanded role for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during a breakfast meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, his top Iraq war ally.
"We believe NATO ought to be involved," Bush said with Blair by his side. "We will work with our NATO friends to at least continue the role that now exists, and hopefully expand it somewhat."
Blair agreed, and told reporters, "The next step in this is going to be for the new Iraqi government to sit down with a multinational force and work out how, over time, the Iraqi capability for security can be established and built up."
But Chirac told reporters that, while he is "very much open to debate and discussion" of Bush's proposal, "I have reservations about this initiative."
"I do not believe it is NATO's purpose to intervene in Iraq," Chirac said. He said any NATO role could only be justified "if the sovereign Iraqi government were to ask for it."
Sixteen of the 26 NATO members already have troops in Iraq and NATO itself provides logistical help for a Polish-led division there.
The Bush administration would like to have the alliance take on additional duties, such as training Iraqi's new army. It would also like NATO to send forces, but recognizes that is unlikely given strong German and French opposition to sending troops.
"There are going to be some constraints, obviously," Bush said. "A lot of NATO countries are not in a position to commit any more troops - we fully understand that. But I do think NATO ought to stay involved."
At NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, a spokesman said any possible future role in Iraq would depend on requests from the Iraqi government and decisions made by all the allied countries.
"It is impossible now to prejudge what role the alliance could take," NATO spokesman James Appathurai told Associated Press Television News.
Attending the summit are the leaders of the world's seven wealthiest democracies - the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - plus Russia.
The morning session dealt with the economy, and summit partners congratulated each other on strong recoveries under way in most of their countries.
But German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also raised concerns about high oil prices. He said there should be discussion about how to make oil markets more transparent, and said he expected G-8 energy ministers to report back in six months with suggestions.
The session gave Bush an opportunity to introduce to allies the new Iraqi president, chosen late last month. Bush said al-Yawer and Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi are now the leaders of a sovereign nation and "must make wise decisions on behalf of the Iraqi people."
Bush promised "America will help."
In addition to the Iraqi, Bush invited to the summit lunch the leaders of four other Arab nations - Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan - and the leaders of Afghanistan and Turkey.
Bush, the host of this year's summit, was pushing an initiative to promote freedom, democracy and economic growth throughout the Middle East at large. But it has stirred suspicion in the region and in Europe. Critics suggest it is a form of U.S. meddling. Others see it has an attempt by the United States to divert attention from the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
Three key Arab countries - Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Morocco - turned down Bush's invitation to participate.
The summit was expected to endorse a scaled-down version of the U.S. plan.
One European official stressed it left room for countries to choose their own preferred methods to promote reforms. The declaration also does not require any specific financial contributions.
"Sensible people sitting down and looking at the situation in the Middle East know that there needs to be a process of reform and change," Blair said of the proposal. "Now, that's not for us to dictate to people, but it is for us to help them get there."
Among other initiatives the Bush administration hoped would be approved:
- Support to provide training and equipment for more than 50,000 peacekeepers over the next five years to deal with trouble spots such as Africa.
- A joint effort to lower the costs to immigrants who send money back to relatives in developing countries.
The burst of international cooperation was being trumpeted by the Bush administration. |
