| Signifying Nothing |
31 March 2003
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Anti-Bush Europeans Believe They Still Count
Amusement was the only appropriate emotion one could experience on hearing President Chirac announce that France "would not accept" an American rebuilding of Iraq. Equally risible was the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer saying much the same thing, "Germany will not tolerate . . ." Kensington replies, "Oh yes you will."
Despite engaging in this war for the wrong reasons at the wrong time, President Bush has put his administration in control of the entire debate. With Anglo-American troops on the ground, it is hard to see that anyone outside the coalition will have any say in what goes on from here on.
The question is not so much who is right or wrong, but rather, America can and will do as it pleases, and France and Germany really don't have any cards to play in response. They cannot withdraw their troops since they didn't send any. They cannot cut off aid, since they offered none. They cannot use the Security Council because the US and UK both have a veto. They cannot, in short, do anything.
Prime Minister Blair came to the US this last week to encourage President Bush to put occupied Iraq under UN auspices. He will likely get a fair hearing, and then, he will be told "no." However, by going along with America, he has at least retained the right to put his case and has levers (e.g., the Royal Marines and the Desert Rats) to use. France and Germany managed to cut themselves off from Washington, and as a result, their empty bluster is just that -- the idle fuming of the powerless.