France, Germany, Russia, and the rest of the weasels are crying because the US has locked them out of the prime contractor jobs for rebuilding Iraq. Their shock and dismay is a bit idiingenuous, comsidering we've said all along that only memebers of the Coalition would be allowed to bid on the jobs. The DoD announcement was not new policy, but an affirmation of policy clearly spelled out months ago. But to listen to the French, you'd think they were just stabbed in the back by their closest ally.
I think that's called projection.
Anyway, If you think they're screaming now, wait until the newly empowered Iraqi government repudiates the debts run up by Saddam Hussein and the Ba'ath party. No new money from the new Iraq, and the loss of money they loaned to the old Iraq; man, that's gotta hurt!
Of course, it couldn't happen to a nicer group of people.
BTW, there's been some talk about how calling the policy essential to protecting national security interests seems to be a bogus way of disguising what some folks say is simple retaliation. Here's a quick lesson in diplomacy for those folks.
Our national security was threatened by terrorism, and Iraq was both harboring and funding terrorists. We went to the UN, and asked for help to remove that threat. The UN basically told us to buzz off. So we formed our own Coalition to take the fight against terrorism to the enemy, instead of waiting for him to come to us. The Allies who joined us, Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain and the others, some 62 nations in all, deserve recognition for supporting us. On the other hand, those countries that not only failed to support us, but actively opposed us, need to be reminded that if they don't support us when we need them, then there will be consequences.
Right now, France, Germany, and the rest are acting like vultures, trying to swoop down and take profit from the Coalition's work, without sharing in the effort and the risk.
In my opinion, the US is being too generous. We're still allowing them to be sub contractors, and have even said that if, at this late date, they support the on going military effort, that they will be eligible. If it were up to me, they wouldn't see a penny.
Posted by Rich at December 11, 2003 10:28 AM | TrackBack