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To: GST who wrote (151902)	1/23/2003 11:08:19 PM
From: Victor Lazlo	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 164684

'Axis of Weasels' The New York Times' William Safire argues that France's recent "spinaround" on Iraq was driven by European politics: [President Jacques] Chirac had made a deal with the U.S. last fall: we agreed to postpone the invasion of Iraq until after U.N. inspectors had been jerked around long enough to satisfy the world street's opinion, and in return France would not demand a second U.N. resolution before allied forces overthrew Saddam. As D-Day approached, France sent its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the coming war zone. . . . Then [Chancellor Gerhard] Schröder, reliant on his militantly antiwar Greens, made Chirac an offer he could not refuse: to permanently assert Franco-German dominance over the 23 other nations of Continental Europe. In a stunning power play in Brussels, Germany and France moved to change the practice of having a rotating presidency of the European Council, which now gives smaller nations influence, to a system with a long-term president. This Franco-German czar of the European Union would dominate a toothless president of the European Commission, chosen by the European Parliament. . . . France then had to repay Schröder by double-crossing the U.S. at the U.N. Donald Rumsfeld, in other words, is right. "You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France," the Associated Press quotes the defense secretary as saying yesterday. "I don't. I think that's old Europe. If you look at the entire NATO Europe today, the center of gravity is shifting to the east and there are a lot of new members." The AP dispatch is headlined "Rumsfeld's Remarks Draw Anger in France." And if that doesn't make Rummy nervous, we don't know what would. "Ve veel bite ze ahnkels of Monsieur Rumsfeld eef he does not apologize," one French official tells the AP. OK, we made that quote up, but here are some real ones: "I wanted to remind everyone that this 'old Europe' has resilience, and is capable of bouncing back. And it will show it, in time," says Finance Minister Francis Mer. And here's Ecology Minister Roselyne Bachelot: "If you knew what I feel like telling him, to Mr. Rumsfeld . . ." The AP explains that "she then stopped herself and said the word would be too offensive to publish." ScrappleFace.com "reports" that "U.S. Secretary Defense Donald Rumsfeld apologized . . . for referring to France and Germany as an 'Axis of Weasels' ": "I'm sorry about that Axis of Weasels remark," said Mr. Rumsfeld. "I didn't mean to dredge up the history France and Germany share of pathetic compliance with ruthless dictators." . . . "I should have known better than to remind people that these two nations--which live in freedom thanks only to the righteous might of America, Britain and their allies--that these nations are morally and politically bankrupt, and have failed to learn the lessons of history," he said. Just in case it's not absolutely clear, this is a satire. Rumsfeld issued no such apology. Why the French Poodle Barks In the Los Angeles Times, Max Boot offers some further analysis of French motives: Its first motive is crassly commercial: France has about $1.5 billion in contracts with the current Iraqi government and doesn't want it overthrown for fear that a more democratic regime might take its business elsewhere. Its second motive is essentially wounded national pride. France, a noted poet recently wrote, "used to have the ability to inspire princes and kings" but now "comes the time when no one listens to her anymore and the universe turns without her, except when it judges her with spite or commiseration." Jonah Goldberg adds that "France has been the chief Western advocate of normalizing relations with Iraq--one of its largest trading partners--for years, partly because France holds billions in IOUs from Iraq that wouldn't be redeemable by a new regime." Ceausescu Watch "Opposition within Iraq to President Saddam Hussein's regime has surged in the past few weeks, with anti-Saddam graffiti and literature appearing in areas supposedly under Baghdad's control," the Times of London reports. Britain's Foreign Office says it bases the information on interviews with Iraqi asylum-seekers: "A lot of them are coming out and saying there is increased dissent in Iraq--for example more anti-regime leaflets being circulated, more underground activity," one official, who described the accounts as "consistent and credible," said. Anti-Saddam slogans, such as "For how long will the Iraqi people sleep?," have been daubed on statues and photographs of the Iraqi leader. Leaflets predicting Saddam's downfall have also been circulated. The campaign of dissent, which is punishable by death for anyone caught, has apparently been co-ordinated by two opposition groups emboldened by the prospect of a looming war. The Iraqi authorities are said to have cracked down on suspected opponents. But they have also attempted to buy the loyalty of people close to the regime with payments and increased rations of food. The Washington Times reports that Air Force Gen. Richard Meyers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says that, in the Times' words, "Saddam Hussein is trying to shore up the loyalty of his military forces amid signs that not all his troops will fight against a U.S.-led invasion." opinionjournal.com