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| Iraq |
| Diplomacy is war by other means |
| 2003-03-08 |
| An unexpected 'ambush' was how London's Daily Telegraph described it. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who launched an impassioned tirade at French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin and his country's position on Iraq, was the starring act of the latest instalment of the Security Council drama, said the BBC. Staring Mr de Villepin in the eye, Mr Straw called him repeatedly by his first name, a not-so-subtle putdown in international diplomacy. Laughter erupted the first time Mr Straw referred to Mr de Villepin as simply 'Dominique'. First, you stick your thumb in his eye. If he's good, you pull it out... Citing Mr de Villepin's speech, Mr Straw heaped scorn on the logic of countries - especially France — that are set on giving Iraq more time. 'Dominique, you said that the choice before us was disarmament by peace or disarmament by war,' Mr Straw said. 'Dominique... with due respect to my good friend and colleague, I think it's gone the other way around. Dominique, that's a false choice.' Dominique, you been dissed... Mr Straw's tirade drew murmurs, and eventually, applause from ministerial staff members in the balcony. Mr de Villepin, by far the most charismatic spokesman for the anti-war camp, had no option but to sit through his reprimand, said the Daily Telegraph. But the report noted that the expression on his face — and its colour — betrayed rage at the treatment. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #8 Frankenreich tag team meet the Anglosphere. We've defeated you for a century and you still don't get it. (And Britain even longer.) Churchill said, "Never let yourself be separated from the Americans." (Or close to that.) |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-09 00:57:28 |
| #7 Rumsfeld was whacked by Fischer in Munich for a conference, not de Villepin; |
| Posted by: mike 2003-03-09 00:42:30 |
| #6 i get the impression someone is goading the French into a veto. "Feeling lucky, punk? Go ahead, make my day!" |
| Posted by: john 2003-03-08 22:10:54 |
| #5 Well Napoleon and diplomats... The Emperor called Talleyrand, the father of all weasels: "A piece of shit in silk stockings" Sums it up nicely, right? |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-03-08 20:27:57 |
| #4 He could have quoted Dominique's confusingly written drivel on Napoleon if he had really wanted to heap scorn. Another good way to rub it in would be to give the statistics for the decline in French as an international language. |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-03-08 20:08:02 |
| #3 I suppose the entente ain't that cordiale anymore? |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-03-08 19:53:04 |
| #2 No brit ever lost his job for pissing on a frenchman... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-03-08 19:47:33 |
| #1 GAwd, that is delicious! Wasn't it Vill-er Dominique, who didn't hesitate to shaft Rumsfield in a NATO forum when the latter was not in a position to respond? If so, then bully for the British for covering our backs! |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-03-08 19:42:39 |