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Europe

EU states could send troops to Iraq: French minister

2003-04-14

EU member states could send troops to Iraq to help maintain order in the war-ravaged country, France's European Affairs Minister Noelle Lenoir said Monday. "Nothing has been decided, but nothing has been excluded with respect to a European Union presence in Iraq that would go beyond humanitarian aid," she said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

Ummm... Lemme think. No.

"What we don't want is for each country to go off on its own, a situation we regretted a short while back," the minister explained. "Each country can make proposals and suggestions, we've done it ourselves. But when it comes to action, the Union must present itself as a political entity, a community of states, all going in the same direction."

Which direction is that? It's not forward, it's not back, it's not left, it's not right. And it's not up...

"Once the country is made secure, we hope that the postwar phase will be under UN control, that Iraq's territorial integrity will be maintained and that it will regain its sovereignty," the minister added.

All correct except for the first one...

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a staunch supporter of the US-led war, said last week he was ready to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq if parliament approved.

Which is entirely different from the Eunochs as a whole sending troops.

Posted by:George

#15 We might need some of those frenchies blowin thier whistles in Syria soon enough.Hey frogs you can have all the oil wells in Syria ya want,just go in there and take em.

Posted by: Brew 2003-04-15 00:35:34

#14 The Ivory Coast problem is bubbling up again, there's a minor war going on between the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso, and the Congo is beginning to bubble over again. All these people speak French. I'm sure Mssr. Chiraq's troops would be better utilized if they attended to the problems associated with these FORMER French Colonies, than muddling around in Iraq. Thanks, but no thanks.

Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-14 22:48:13

#13 Keep encouraging the dialogue and proposals. It is a source of innocent merriment.

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-14 17:53:49

#12 if the French have peacekeeping troops to spare, we could use them in Afghanistan.

Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-14 14:21:20

#11 Do the United Nations, European Union, and Axis of Weasels think The Coalition will just hand the reins over to them with a collective "Duuhhhâ¦" Nah.

Do they wish to see all our efforts EUthanized and UNdone to an AWful degree?

Posted by: KP 2003-04-14 14:12:57

#10 I am very sorry, but I must withdraw my offer. My troops are now committed to defending Syria from imminent aggression by America. Russian and German troops will be playing cards with them there. I want to be sure that if the Americans ~~formally~~ invade Syria, it is an attack on my the European Union. Sorry about the sudden withdrawal, maybe next time.

Posted by: J. Chirac 2003-04-14 20:11:08

#9 Non, Non, Non, Non! I have a suggestion for the entire Frog leadership: Fly to the U.S. and visit the Children/Widows/Parents of those that died in a war you REFUSED to help in. If they forgive you, then sure you are welcome to help!

Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2003-04-14 11:14:03

#8 The more proposal and demands that the French make to try and stick their nose in, the more desperate they look - let's keep this up - it's a lesson to the rest

Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-14 10:38:20

#7 from ABC(aussie)

'France says it will be "pragmatic" about post-war Iraq, setting aside differences with the United States over what exact role the United Nations would play in reconstructing the country.

"Let us be pragmatic, let us start from the reality of the problems," French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin told reporters during a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

"It is in the interest of Iraq, the region and the international community," he added.

"It is obvious that the US administration has a role to play," Mr Villepin said.

"It is useless to go back to what divided us... let us turn to the future." '

France is, at last, surrendering, it appears.

Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-14 10:34:41

#6 "But when it comes to action, the Union must present itself as a political entity, a community of states, all going in the same direction."

IE we dont want to see Italians, Spaniards, Danes, Poles, etc showing up without France being able to wring political concessions out of the US first. How likely that they will follow France???

Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-14 10:29:02

#5 Each country can make proposals and suggestions

"And more proposals and more suggestions, and then we can debate the proposals and suggestions and the next thing you know it's like Kosovo all over again and we haven't actually done anything.

We feel this method is best because it gives us room to find fault with those who actually take action."

Posted by: g wiz 2003-04-14 09:46:43

#4 mhw: Think France has enough spittle guards to go around for their helms?

Posted by: Tadderly 2003-04-14 09:16:57

#3 I really want to see French uniforms worn on the streets of Baghdad. Then I want to see lots of camera footage when the locals show their feelings.

Posted by: mhw 2003-04-14 09:02:42

#2 Cheeze. "Now that the US and the UK and Australia have borne the brunt of all the danger, we'd like to rectify the lack of our presence there." Grubbers.

Posted by: Tadderly 2003-04-14 08:53:07

#1 Take a hike, Noelle. We didn't need you before and we sure don't need you now. We sure don't need you given the price you'd want to extract from us in return for your troops.

The Italians, on the other hand, would be welcome.

Posted by: Steve White 2003-04-14 08:52:34

00:00