From the Toronto Sun
Why France is America's true
friend
MIAMI -- Watching American TV can be a
surreal experience. Sandwiched between ads for instant weight loss products,
predigested fast food, and incontinence panties, cable TV commentators bay like
rabid dogs for war against Iraq, and subject nations daring to oppose President
Bush's crusade to venomous abuse or sneering disdain.
France, which
speaks with the strongest, most logical voice of those opposing war, has become
the special target of vituperation and hatred in America's leading
neo-conservative media - Fox TV, the Wall Street Journal, New York Post - and
the Bush administration's bete noire. Particularly so, now that France, Germany,
and Russia vow to veto U.S. attempts to ram a war-enabling resolution through
the UN Security Council.
France, many Americans claim, should do
whatever Washington orders out of gratitude for the U.S. "saving" it in two
world wars. U.S. television features angry veterans standing in American
military cemeteries in Normandy, denouncing France for "stabbing America in the
back" - as if invading Iraq to grab its oil and crushing Israel's enemies had
anything to do with World War II.
Few flag-waving pundits mention
America sat out almost 40% of WWII until attacked by Japan. In 1940, the German
armed forces were the equivalent of the U.S. armed forces today - a full
military generation ahead of other nations. France's entire army was destroyed
in battle by the invincible Germans; had the U.S. fought Germany in 1940, it too
would have been routed. The Soviet Union, not the U.S., defeated Germany,
destroying over 100 Nazi divisions.
So enough with all the bombast about
Word War II. In the eyes of Europeans and most of the world, George Bush's
administration looks dangerously aggressive, dominated as it is by petrohawks
and neo-conservative ideologues linked to Israel's far right. These little
Mussolinis have no time for diplomacy or multi-nationalism. No wonder a recent
Pew Research poll found that formerly favourable ratings of the U.S. have
plummeted in 19 of 27 nations surveyed.
It seems at times that President
Bush is even more eager to bomb Paris than Baghdad. In fact, the administration
has been treating France like an enemy, rather than America's oldest ally and
intimate friend. Neo-conservatives even accuse France of anti-Semitism, a
disgusting slander.
Doing the right thing
Far from being
an enemy, France has been doing what a true good friend should do: telling
Washington its policy is wrong and dangerous, unlike the handkissing leaders of
Britain, Spain and Italy, who crave Bush's political support, or the East
European coalition of the shilling, ex-communist politicians pandering to
Washington for cash. Seventy percent of British, and 90% of Italians and
Spaniards oppose Bush's crusade.
France's President Jacques Chirac
speaks for an overwhelming majority of Europeans and, indeed, the world's
people, in urging the U.S. to opt for diplomacy and UN inspections over a war
that will not be worth the loss of a single American soldier, not to mention
tens of thousands of Iraqis and chaos across Mesopotamia. So, too, warns the
great and wise Pope John Paul II.
The contrast between France's reasoned
diplomatic response and Bush's belligerent behaviour could not be more stark. As
is the dignified, logical tone set by President Chirac and Foreign Minister
Dominique de Villepin compared to the bullying, low-brow, locker-room talk
issuing from the White House that has seriously damaged America's reputation and
image around the globe.
Last week Turkey's new parliament, chosen in the
first truly democratic election in memory, followed Europe, courageously
rejecting Washington's bribes and demands that U.S. ground forces be allowed to
attack Iraq from Turkish territory. Washington's churlish response - withdrawing
its bribes, threatening punishment - contrasted curiously to Bush's claims his
goal in Iraq is bringing democracy to the Mideast. Democracy, its seems, is fine
so long as it does U.S. bidding. Inconveniently, Turkey's people and democratic
government voted a resounding no to war. How long the Turks can resist intense
pressure from the U.S. and its friends, Turkey's hard right generals, remains to
be seen.
Bush's crusade against Iraq will go on with or without Turkey.
The war will be akin to throwing a grenade into a huge hornet's nest. France,
which lives next to the Arab world and has 5 million Muslim citizens, warns an
invasion and occupation of Iraq will roil the entire region, spark more
terrorism, and hit Europe with a dangerous backblast. But Bush couldn't care
less, as he would say.
While Bush prepares war against demolished Iraq,
he is ducking the surging nuclear confrontation with North Korea, which, unlike
Iraq, truly threatens North America. Outrageous dereliction of duty over Korea,
obsessive warmongering against Iraq, crude, aggressive behaviour worthy of
Leonid Brezhnev's Soviet Union, threats against the UN, a $400-billion deficit
that will infect the world with inflation, and damage to America's reputation -
such are Bush's "accomplishments" to date. Who needs enemies with world-class
blunderers like this in charge?
America's friends and neighbours, led by
France, the mother of diplomacy, rightly warn the steroidal Bush administration
to halt its rush to war. President Chirac and Foreign Minister de Villepin
deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. Americans owe France an apology, and a hearty
"merci mon ami."