Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elsewhere who wrote (8991)	9/23/2003 9:33:03 AM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793689

i.e. the USA are 150 times more important for Germany than Iraq. Do you think German politicians are such stupid calculators as to ignore this ratio? JJ, I was not specifically discussing Germany...But I could make a coupla points: 1. Neither France nor Germany had huge exports to Iraq (yet). Significant...but not huge. In the French case, it was building as they also were getting much of the food for oil dollars. In both cases, the promise of far greater deals was alluring. US involvement would place those contracts in jeopardy. Our assurances to split the pot were not enough...The French wanted it all. 2. France, not the USA, is Germany's #1 export market. If they are voting their pocketbook...I do not think "German politicians are such stupid calculators as to ignore this ratio". The German politicians will likely lean towards France as they did. 3. The Russians were hoping to rearm Iraq (again) after the war. The Russians also have a history of great losses for no reward in the ME. I am sure that both reasons had a part in their refusal to participate. I remain convinced that that three way alliance was based on current and future contracts. uw