tex Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 January 29, 2003 14:34 Why France and Germany Secretly Help Iraq By Robert G. Williscroft "I have no doubt that he has nukes." Referring to Saddam Hussein, with these words former U.N. weapons inspector Bill Tierney staked out his position on Sean Hannity's nationally televised Radio Talk Show on Dec. 6, 2002. Tierney became renowned for his ability to ferret out Iraqi weapons violations during 1997-98, and was finally accused by the Iraqis of spying for the U.S. and dismissed from the inspection team. Tierney went on to detail his belief that Iraq has a stockpile of nuclear weapons located at Saddam's Jabal Makhul presidential palace. He is also convinced that Iraq has a significant hidden stockpile of biological and chemical weapons. In a follow-on interview on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes on Jan. 28, 2003, Tierney accused the French of compromising the United Nations' 1997 inspection effort. According to Tierney, a French member of the team consistently passed information about forthcoming inspection targets to the Iraqis, giving them sufficient time to clear up sites before the inspection arrived. Back in November, 2002, Jane's Intelligence Review said the key to success in inspections is to have good intelligence on possible weapons of mass destruction (WMD) sites and then, in Bill Tierney's words "take that information quickly, turn it round into an inspection which has operational security so that the targets are not leaked and approach that site quickly so that the Iraqis cannot sneak out of the back door." Jane's predicted that current United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) rules would make this kind of swift and secure action difficult at best. The Jan. 27 report by UNMOVIC to the U.N. Security Council was a carefully-worded document couched in diplomatic language that seemed designed to obscure the continuing difficulties UNMOVIC is experiencing. In an impromptu interview by Fox News on Wednesday morning, Jan. 29, Hans Blix specifically denied that any "high level" member of his team was leaking information to Iraq. Even in this denial, however, his diplomatic language left room for alternate interpretations. The bottom line seems to be that advance inspection information is reaching the Iraqis, and one can conclude from current and past evidence that France is the major source. Why? Why would a respected nation, permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, stoop to such means? Stepping back a pace, why would France and Germany put up roadblocks to disarming Saddam? The simple answer is: Money. The more complicated answer is: Money coupled with a perception, at least on France's part, that its position within the world community is being marginalized. France still revels in its historic role as a world power in a world dominated by England and France. Even following World War II, France retained its front-line role. It was instrumental in forming the United Nations, and its language long ruled as the language of diplomacy the world over. But no longer. Today English (American) rules. France and French are of the past. On the other hand, France played the leading role in establishing Iraq's nuclear capability in Isirah, one that the Israelis destroyed back in 1981. France has a huge stake in maintaining Iraq's fledgling nuclear capability. It amounts to money, more money, and precious prestige in a world that is increasingly anti-France. German design and construction companies have played a major role in designing and building Saddam's various bunkers scattered around Iraq. His main German-designed and built bunker near the center of Baghdad is a suspended structure that can only be taken out by a burrowing bunker-buster nuke. Furthermore, the Germans are currently active in the design and construction of modern nuclear power facilities at Bushehr in Iran, and possibly surreptitiously in Iraq as well. So, it isn't just about the German Green movement, and the public's perception that the German parliament is being held hostage by the radical Greens. German money is at stake, and German prestige, enough of both that UNMOVIC members from Germany have a powerful incentive to maintain the status quo. This is where diplomacy and its arcane language enters the picture. President Bush states simply that Saddam must prove the absence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) that have been earlier identified. Like the hat and boots he wears at his ranch, his approach is simple and direct, and easily understandable. Once passed through the filter of diplomacy, however, "simple and direct" disappear in obfuscation and subterfuge. France and Germany can appear to walk the high road, can appear to take the diplomatic path with reasonable sounding phrases and judicious appeals to let diplomacy take its course, while maneuvering in the background to maintain the status quo to protect their vested financial and business interests. The United States needs to identify these activities openly and specifically, so that the world can see clearly what the French and Germans are actually doing, so that the French and German people can actually see and understand what their governments are doing. So long as Frenchmen and Germans believe it is about French pride or German environmentalism, they are likely to support their government's efforts to undermine the inspection efforts. Once they understand, however, what is really happening, once they realize that it is about corporate profit - period - I suspect the French and Germans will solve this problem internally, and refocus their government's attention to the problem at hand. Robert G. Williscroft is a DefenseWatch Senior Editor. He can be reached at dwnavyeditor@argee.net. http://www.bigfatbaby.com/newfun2/flash/peebaby.cfm http://www.sftt.org/dwa/2003/1/29/5.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 As irritated as I am that the French and Germans refuse to have our backs when we need them, I think this is an extreme oversimplification of the issue. It's on the level of saying we want to attack Iraq for cheaper oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted February 10, 2003 Author Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Henry As irritated as I am that the French and Germans refuse to have our backs when we need them, I think this is an extreme oversimplification of the issue. It's on the level of saying we want to attack Iraq for cheaper oil. Not only do they not have our backs, they are sticking a knife in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddha Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Bush needs to adopt THE ANGRY BUDDHA PLAN for dealing with France: VIVE LA FRANCE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor The Invincible Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 LOL Buddha. I don't know if that would go over well with the rest of the world. But then again, who cares? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Unfortunately Buddha's plan would mean snails would proliferate but usage of soap still wouldnt increase. France had their knife in our back for a while and when we caught them giving the war criminals (Serbs) info of us coming into areas to arrest them we knew they werent to be trusted. Of course the higher ups back then were tongue in cheek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I don't like the Angry Buddha Plan. It leaves the Arc du Triomphe standing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 That's all the phuckers did to us at Prince Sultan AB as well. They let the iraqis know about our flight plans over the southern no fly zone so they could take pot shots at our planes. PHUCK THE FROGS and the herms too. I'm becoming ashamed to say I have german blood. :finger: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy-the-Greek Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Why would the 2 countries that were the most significant in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler help another tyrant rise to power and keep that power and expand that power?.Hmmmmmmmmmm That is a tough one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy-the-Greek Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 We have to find proof of France and Germany helping Iraq and embarass them in the court of world opinion. I want there leaders held responsible for there actions and held liable if any Americans die due to there circumventing the Gulf war ceasefire agreement. I want there country and responsible companies get bankrupted over this. I also want there leaders to be extridited to the US to stand war criminal trials. Let's execute them on national tv and give the pay per view rights to the men and women of our armed forces. We can also give them all the funds we take from the French gov and french companies. I want them kicked out of NATO. I want them kicked out of the UN. If we can't get these 2 things we should withdraw from these 2 organizations and start new ones. Everyone knows without US support they would both crumble anyways. I want a boycott on all FRENCH and GERMAN goods and SVC'S to this country. I also want this mandated by our GOV. If you are a French or German citizen kick them out of our country. I hate these ungrateful Sob's with a passion. Thank God Bush doesn't take the meds I am taking or he would just send a cruise missle up Kock JerCracks's Arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 To be clear, I don't know anything about the French actively helping Saddam to thwart arms inspections, although that wouldn't surprise me. Fundamentally, they simply want to defend their business interests, and try to portray themselves as a world power in their own right independent of us. It also doesn't help things that a goodly proportion (15% or so) of their population is Arab-Islamic. That matters little to me, however, as they're proving to be undeserving heirs of Charles Martel, the Frenchman who defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours and saved Christian Europe. The Germans too are trying to protect their investments in Saddam's Iraq. However, unlike the French for whom this is overwhelmingly also a national pride issue, the Germans also are resisting our efforts to move on this issue because their internal politics and economic situation are in such disarray, that their leftist government is trying to push any button to garner support. My read is that the average German on the street is a lot less anti-American than the average Frenchman. This is a fundamentally a politically leadership problem for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romo Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 I think France is doing what its doing because it still wants to think it is an independent powerful country. in reality it is just one of several voices in the EU, NATO, the Security Council and one of many on the UN as a whole. I think Germany is doing what its doing because it is worried about Al-Qaeda attacks on Germans. There are no doubt alot of sleeper cells in Germany, maybe more so then any other country. I think both countries leaders are also just taking the popular stance and arent strong or brave enough to be a leader like Tony Blair is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief skin Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 After 911 Bush said either you are with us or you are against us. I proclaim that France and Germany are now enemies of the United States and as such ALL ECONOMIC AID AND TRADE NOW CEASES. Powell should explain that to our 2 alleged allies and see how fast they get back on the US bandwagon. The french and germans are PATHETIC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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