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| Europe |
| French PM: U.S. Made Triple Mistake with War |
| 2003-04-03 |
| French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said on Thursday the United States made a moral, political and strategic mistake by starting war in Iraq. "The Americans made a triple mistake: First of all a moral mistake, I think ... there was an alternative to war. We could have disarmed Iraq differently," Raffarin said in an interview on France 3 television. "Also, (they made) a political mistake, because we know very well the difficulties of this region of the world," he added. "And then, there is a strategic mistake: this idea that today one country can lead the world." |
| Posted by:Yosemite Sam |
| #14 Well, IMHO, there were four major mistakes by the French..... Moral....ignoring torture chambers, industrial plastic shredders, etc. Political.....thinking we are gonna forget their backstabbing and allow them to dictate how Iraq is going to be run Strategic......thinking that we can't win this without that piece of shit they laughingly call an aircraft carrier (has the Charles de Gaulle EVER left the Mediterranean??) and finally in the category of deportment......passing up an opportunity to STFU. |
| Posted by: Former Russian Major 2003-04-03 19:58:06 |
| #13 Time for me to go down to the local Dairy Queen and order a triple mistake sundae. Enjoy! |
| Posted by: john 2003-04-03 18:25:07 |
| #12 The last time I noticed we were winning so excuse me if I'm not impressed. |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2003-04-03 17:58:20 |
| #11 In related news, Chiraq reiterated that he holding the reservation at Champs Elysees for his friend Saddam. The suite is reportedly adjacent to the suite used by Osama bin Laden. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2003-04-03 15:48:24 |
| #10 Can our new Ayatollah please issue a serious fatwa against those fuckers |
| Posted by: g wiz 2003-04-03 15:24:11 |
| #9 for an example of how the coalition is widening 'Support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq is surging in Calgary and across the province, with three-quarters of Albertans in favour of Canada joining the fight, according to a new poll. However, despite growing support for the war in Alberta and across the country, the Chretien government is standing firm on its decision to keep Canada out of the conflict. "The (federal) government really blew it by looking at short-term polls (saying Canadians were against the war)," said pollster Faron Ellis of JMCK Polling. "You're now seeing a shift everywhere, outside of Quebec, in favour of the war -- and Alberta is leading the edge of that shift."' |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-03 15:06:58 |
| #8 morally - well thats too obvious we every torture chamber we find politically - it is a difficult region, but net-net the strong horse benefits, plus the gamble on a democratic domino theory, probably offsets the problems. Unlike France we were not in a position to just accept the status quo. Strategic - I for one dont think we want to do things ourselves - I think it was important and good that we had Britain, Spain, Italy, Australia, Japan, and the Eastern Europeans en block on our side - I also think that going forward we will need to re-broaden the coalition of the willing - but i think theres a lot we can do to achieve that without giving up our regional vision. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-03 15:03:49 |
| #7 As if the French have covered themselves with moral, political and strategic glory on the Ivory Coast. Their only strategic advantage was going adventuring in Africa during the US invasion of Iraq -- ie, nobody's looking at them! TT |
| Posted by: tthom 2003-04-03 14:54:05 |
| #6 Well, Monsieur Raffarin, your boss claimed you would disarm Iraq with "inspectors" but you didn't and signed juicy contracts with the tyrant instead. Hence the Coalition is doing it, heroically and efficiently. You have proved to be immoral, politically inept, and strategically insignificant. You are beneath contempt. STFU. |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2003-04-03 14:36:02 |
| #5 How long will it take for these third rate, insignificant clowns to continue to give us lectures until they finally realize we aren't listening? Wipe up the Ivory Coast and have you parade through the Arc' de Triomphe. You might as well use it for something. We'll fight and win real wars with some countries at our side who don't have their pompous, deluded heads up their asses. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-04-03 22:42:47 |
| #4 This is under terror networks?? lol |
| Posted by: RW 2003-04-03 14:16:32 |
| #3 Translation: "First of all a moral mistake, I think... they didn't get our permission, we weren't put in charge, we didn't get any glory, we're pissed! Second,"Also, a political mistake, they didn't bribe the right people, so the money would come back to France. They didn't allow us to be the only people to make a profit from this. We are pissed. "And then, there is a strategic mistake,this idea that the United States is allowed to do anything without French permission in the United Nations, which is supposed to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of France, Inc. "You also screwed up our game in the European Union, getting all those former Warsaw Pact nations to support you, instead of doing what France, and er, out allies, Germany and Belgium, tell them to do. We are pissed, and we're going to pitch a temper tantrum until you give in and do it our way... Quit hitting me, or I'll cry!" |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-03 14:07:11 |
| #2 I'm sorry. I thought I was going to read something intelligent. I guess I should have considered the source. |
| Posted by: Carolyn 2003-04-03 14:01:19 |
| #1 Well, it's true that mistakes were made. Lots of them. And today, Raffarin made another one. You'd think these guys would have *finally* figured out which way the wind was blowing by now. |
| Posted by: jrosevear 2003-04-03 13:55:12 |