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August 31, 2004Iyad Allawi to Le MondeSome no nonsense talk to France from the Iraqi PM (translation mine). Q: Pensez-vous que l'affaire des otages franais provoquera un changement de la politique de la France en Irak ? Translation: "The French, like all democratic countries, can't content themselves with adopting a passive position. The Americans, the British and other nations that are fighting in Iraq are not only fighting to protect Iraqis, they are fighting to protect their own countries. The governments that decide to stay on the defensive will be the next targets of the terrorists. Terrorist attacks will occur in Paris, in Nice, in Cannes or in San Francisco. The time has come to act against terrorism, in the same fashion...that Europe fought Hitler. Every day, tens of people are killed in Iraq. They are not dying because we are going through a major national crisis, but because we have decided to combat evil. That's why the entire international community must assist us, as rapidly as possible, to improve the security of our country. ...the U.S. decided to disembark in Normandy, to eliminate Hitler. They suffered heavy losses to accomplish this objective. The same thing is happening today. People must assume their responsibilities. The decision to assist Iraq is courageous. Let me tell you that the French, despite all the noise they make--'We don't want war!'--will shortly have to fight the terrorists." Some of this rhetoric is exagerrated, of course. Still, Allawi is right to remind France of the civilizational stakes at play. And, despite sarcastic simpletons in Le Monde's chat rooms, the latest Le Monde masthead indicates that some in France are starting to listen: Cette guerre que mne le terrorisme se rclamant de l'islam concerne, nous le savons depuis le premier jour, toutes les dmocraties. Personne n'est l'abri, aucune diplomatie ne peut prtendre constituer une quelconque ligne Maginot qui nous protgerait mieux que nos voisins espagnols ou italiens de la volont de mort qui est l'Ļuvre depuis les attaques du 11 septembre 2001. On touche l aux limites de l'antiamricanisme qui semble trop souvent tenir lieu de politique trangre franaise. Translation: "This war of terrorism that claims Islam concerns, we knew from the first day, all of the democracies. No one is safe, no diplomacy can pretend to constitute a Maginot line that will protect us better than our Spanish or Italian neighbors from this willingness to die which is at work since 9/11. We have touched the limits of anti-Americanism that seems too often to take the place of a French foreign policy." Not quite, "we are all Americans". But not your typical Le Monde fare either. France is clearly in shock--partly because they are confronting the fact that non-participation in Iraq doesn't guarantee security for its citizens. Zut alors. Evil still stalks the planet, Jacques. Welcome to the post 9/11 world. And 500 troops in Afghanistan is not a contribution worthy of a soi disant major power. Unless it's a power in deep decline, that is... UPDATE: The French, it appears, weren't too happy about the Iraqi PM's comments: Les propos de M. Allaoui "inacceptables" Les dclarations du premier ministre irakien, Iyad Allaoui, qui, la suite de l'enlvement des deux journalistes franais, a critiqu la position de la France face au terrorisme (Le Monde du 31 aot) "ne sont pas acceptables", a dclar, lundi 30 aot, la porte-parole adjointe du Quai d'Orsay, Ccile Pozzo di Borgo. "Ces dclarations semblent en effet jeter un doute sur la dtermination de la France dans la lutte contre le terrorisme (...) La France mne sans relche une action rsolue contre ce flau et elle a toujours apport son soutien et sa contribution toutes les initiatives de la communaut internationale dans ce domaine", a-t-elle ajout. Paris rappelle que la France a "plaid en permanence pour la recherche d'une solution politique" en Irak et estime que "la tenue d'lections libres et dmocratiques doit permettre de runir les conditions d'une vritable reconstruction politique et conomique de l'Irak". Translation: The declarations of...Allawi....[where he] criticized France's position on terrorism "are not acceptable," declared [a Quai D'Orsay spokeswoman]. "These declarations appear to throw in doubt France's determination in the fight against terrorism...France has been leading a resolute action against [terror] without respite and has always given its support to all initiatives of the international community in this domain," she added. Paris also recalled that France has "all along strived for a political settlement" in Iraq and believes that "holding free and democratic elections will provide the conditions for the true political and economic reconstruction of Iraq." They still don't get it. Posted by Gregory at August 31, 2004 01:15 AMComments
My understanding about France's position regarding the current War On Terror is that while it may be driven by many things, one driving factor is that France can't afford to go war like the UK and others can. Even if France were 100% behind what the coalition is doing, I don't think France could contribute much more militarily than it is already. I don' think France wants to admit how weak it has become militarily. If I were France, with such a large population of Muslim fundamentalist sympathizers, I wouldn't want to admit my weaknesses either. I'm not sure what more France could contribute beyond what they have already. Diplomatically, perhaps they have a lot to add. Militarily I don't see it. Anyone have a different view on France's military capabilities that I'm unaware of? By military I mean traditional, not nuclear. Posted by: Chris Josephson at August 31, 2004 02:33 AM | Permalink to this comment
The French Government has enough troops to intervene in Africa when ever it suits---How many French Soldiers are in the Ivory Coast right now? The French have made their power play, and it has failed miserably. Posted by: Eric Blair at August 31, 2004 02:39 AM | Permalink to this comment
It brings to mind a quote attributed to Norman Swarzkopff (sic) ..."going to war without France is like going bear hunting without your accordion". Posted by: Mike Winter at August 31, 2004 02:56 AM | Permalink to this comment
France can't afford to go to war? Perhaps, but it seems perfectly willing to engage in inflammatory anti-American rhetoric to the detriment of its own citizens (not to mention those of the allies and Iraq). Now they (the government) have undergone a rude awkening. Posted by: Alex at August 31, 2004 02:57 AM | Permalink to this comment
If France merely became a cheer leader instead of a detractor that would be a very good start. A different attitude towards Iran would be a sign of helpfulness. Posted by: M. Simon at August 31, 2004 03:04 AM | Permalink to this comment
I am constantly reminded of an encounter between an American and two French women. Their brief encounter ended with the French women saying to the American .. "Chirac is protecting us, who is protecting you ?"
While I agree that France could do more, as could the Germans, the size of their deployable force is open to question. Both countries rely on conscripts to feed their military machines, and thereÕs only so much training and utilization one can get out of short-termers. That means that careerists form their battle-ready forces. I have no idea what their retention rate is, but with GermanyÕs active force of 270K, only about 10K are regarded as deployable outside the EU. I donÕt know if that includes the 5k German active duty military in CONUS at any given time. For what itÕs worth, Canadian ground forces officers I knew in Germany (Lahr) in the late 1970s regarded the French garrisons nearby with disdain. Finally, the Europeans donÕt have airlift or logistics. TheyÕve always focused their military planning and expenditures on defending their own borders, and not always seriously as the Belgian military establishment shows Š great bands, fantastic hairdressers, but not known as savages in the heat of battle. The Europeans donÕt have the spares, depots, systems, and airlift to support a deployed force for any duration. NATO has always relied on the US, and France has just enough force mobility and commercial savvy to keep uranium flowing from Africa to its reactors (70% of French electricity comes from nukes). One last swipe at France Š their current aircraft carrier has the propellers from its old one. The flight deck has proven to be too short. They wonÕt have a floating airbase they can take out of the Mediterranean until their next carrier Š theyÕre piggybacking on a Brit buy Š comes out of the shipyard several years from now. Oh, the Brits are buying two carries, the French one. Need I write more? Posted by: The Kid at August 31, 2004 03:19 AM | Permalink to this comment
Why anyone would seriously consider the craven French capable of any resolute action escapes moi. WWI enfeebled them, WWII removed what was left of their spine. They like to delude themselves that they're punching above their weight, but we all know otherwise. In a generation the Moslems will be running the show and all the women of France will be wearing headscarves. The French excellence in haute couture will ensure they are attractive. Posted by: Jerry at August 31, 2004 03:46 AM | Permalink to this comment
We shouldn't be too upset that the French are siding with the Muslims. France is an easy-to-manage enemy but as an ally, they're absolutely treacherous. Posted by: Arty at August 31, 2004 04:08 AM | Permalink to this comment
Never has Europe been so wealthy, so prosperous, so populous, it's cities so clean and pretty, it's youth so handsome. And it does nothing.
The French here in Afghanistan are part of ISAF - which is a NATO driven entity. Support mechanisms are in place already. If France wanted, it could deploy more troops here - or Iraq if it so decided. Not overwhelming numbers mind you, but they still have the ability to make some greater impact, should they choose to do so. Posted by: Major John at August 31, 2004 04:58 AM | Permalink to this comment
http://belmontclub.blogspot.com/2004/08/shadow-of-france-if-french-are-not.html Posted by: Barry Meislin at August 31, 2004 02:53 PM | Permalink to this comment
My, my so much resentment against the French ... I guess the bottom in line is that Toqueville was right, Americans just can't stand criticism ... And the French are guilty because -gasp- they dare not follow in lockstep with Bush. Good for them. The truth is that French foreign policy has been consistent in its support of Arab secular regimes for the last 40 years. The French make no bones about this and about protecting their interests. They identified islamism as a major threat years ago and believe that progress in the middle east can more easily be achieved by supporting regimes that fight extremism -such as in Morocco or Algeria or Lebanon-, regardless of their democratinc shortcomings, and encouraging change in these countries, than by pursuing wildly oscillating and self-defeating policies that help propagate extremism on the one hand while claiming to fight it on the other - these swings lead to entirely unreasonable and wildly contradictory policies such as the neo-con project for wholesale democratization of the middle east by force. French realism is refreshing at a time when America is falling into in cheesy nationalistic propaganda and irrationality and sentimentality. The statement that France is an ally of islamic extremists, or hope to stay out of this fight, is a smear. France has been fighting islamic extremists for years - since they bombed Hezbollah in Lebanon in the 80s. For many years, at time when America was courting Islamists as a counterweight to Soviet influence in the middle east, and arming the Mujaidin in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and propping up the regime most responsible for the spread of Wahabbism, Saudi Arabia , and later playing footsie with the Taliban, the French were warning of the danger. For this reason, they were -and continue to be- a major target for extremists. Posted by: Mark at August 31, 2004 02:59 PM | Permalink to this comment
Mark, No one begrudges the French for pursuing their own interests, dude. It's what nations do. But A)claiming that there is no threat from the nutball Islamic fringe; B) claiming there isn't any financial interest that's driving French middle eastern policy; C) acting unilaterally when it suits them, as in the Ivory Coast; and D) seriously thinking the U.S. is more dangerous than the mustache-wearing turdballs in the Middle East; now that's senitmentality. Posted by: Rob at August 31, 2004 04:16 PM | Permalink to this comment
"The time has come to act against terrorism ..." What a concept. Acting against terrorism with well purposed resolve. Or alternatively we can equivocate, tergiversate and commiserate with great displays of angst and irresolve. "... existential perils." Yea, little things like that. So easy to forget when there is such a variety and lineage of pseudo-intellectual anti-Western and anti-American pieties to choose from, in large part to prop up little more than egoistic facades. "The decision to assist Iraq is courageous." And obviously so. The very fact this needs to be argued and advanced as such is a telling reflection of the vacant, reality averse qualities the various derivations of the old sclerotic Left brings to bear in this debate. Posted by: Michael B at August 31, 2004 04:44 PM | Permalink to this comment
I'm still ROTFL over Allawi's dig at San Francisco. Posted by: Karl at August 31, 2004 04:56 PM | Permalink to this comment
Americans would have to think about it and swallow real hard, but we would PROBABLY react stongly about San Francisco being blown up. Maybe...... Posted by: leaddog2 at August 31, 2004 05:19 PM | Permalink to this comment
If you document yourself you will see that when the USA was busy in building what we call today 'terrorism' in fact Europe, mainly France and Spain, were fighting it.
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