Newsweek : Short on Friends

[Insane3D]

Good article (IMO) by Newsweek over on MSNBC...

Newsweek @ MSNBC

Short on Friends
Bush made his case on Iraq to the United Nations, but didn?t win any new allies. Now what?


NEWSWEEK.MSNBC.COM


Sept. 23 ? One year ago, George W. Bush stood in front of the green-marble podium inside the United Nations to issue a stark challenge to the rest of the world. Iraq, he said, was a mortal threat to the U.N. and to peace. ?All the world now faces a test, and the United Nations a difficult and defining moment,? he warned. ?Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding, or will it be irrelevant??

 

[Miramonti]

It was a test for the world. The world passed and george bush failed miserably. Now he is irrelevant.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: jjsole
It was a test for the world. The world passed and george bush failed miserably. Now he is irrelevant.

Hopefully after the next election this will be true. I feel sorry for whoever inherets this mess though

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
Good article (IMO) by Newsweek over on MSNBC...

Newsweek @ MSNBC

Short on Friends
Bush made his case on Iraq to the United Nations, but didn?t win any new allies. Now what?


NEWSWEEK.MSNBC.COM


Sept. 23 ? One year ago, George W. Bush stood in front of the green-marble podium inside the United Nations to issue a stark challenge to the rest of the world. Iraq, he said, was a mortal threat to the U.N. and to peace. ?All the world now faces a test, and the United Nations a difficult and defining moment,? he warned. ?Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding, or will it be irrelevant??

So why is germany offering assistance and why is france getting out of the way?

 

[Gaard]

Why is France coming aboard? Did we reach a compromise?

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Why is France coming aboard? Did we reach a compromise?

Russia is on board too. Of course democrats say the Bush Admin is bribing countries, but whatever.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Why is France coming aboard? Did we reach a compromise?

France is not so much coming on board, but more of getting out of the way. Once a UN resolution passes, we can likely get assistance from india, russia and turkey.

 

[Gaard]

Russia, Germany, and France? Did everybody just throw their arms up and say "I give up" and agree to the US demands?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Russia, Germany, and France? Did everybody just throw their arms up and say "I give up" and agree to the US demands?

Why would they object to a UN resolution on the rebuilding of Iraq with the US at the lead?

You seem disappointed.

 

[Gaard]

Not disappointed in the least. It's good news. I'm just curious why all of a sudden these guys have a change of heart. Or was Germany and Russia cool with the resolution from the start?

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Gaard
Russia, Germany, and France? Did everybody just throw their arms up and say "I give up" and agree to the US demands?

Why would they object to a UN resolution on the rebuilding of Iraq with the US at the lead?

You seem disappointed.

Are you serious? Why would they object? Did you miss the whole run up to the war in Iraq or something? You know, we don't need anyone...the UN is irrelevant...blah blah...

 

[Moonbeam]

It was inevitable that when Bush took a giant dump in the face of the world that the world would have, be forced, to clean it up simply in order to breathe. One asshole doesn't turn everybody into fools or relieve them of their responsibilities to be sensible.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Not disappointed in the least. It's good news. I'm just curious why all of a sudden these guys have a change of heart. Or was Germany and Russia cool with the resolution from the start?

I dont the UN had much of a choice. To oppose such a resolution would be petty.

I dont think France wishes to stay on the bad side of the US consumer either. France overplayed its hand.

 

[JackStorm]

Well, one has to wonder what happened behind closed doors that caused all 3 countrys to suddenly "join up" or "get out of the way" It's good that their trying to work togeather now. But I highly doubt that sad excuse of a speech that Bush gave, suddenly caused them to do that.

But hey, if both sides finally deside to stop this "My penis is bigger then your penis" contest, the better things will be for the Iraqis.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Gaard
Russia, Germany, and France? Did everybody just throw their arms up and say "I give up" and agree to the US demands?

Why would they object to a UN resolution on the rebuilding of Iraq with the US at the lead?

You seem disappointed.

Are you serious? Why would they object? Did you miss the whole run up to the war in Iraq or something? You know, we don't need anyone...the UN is irrelevant...blah blah...

Well they had option of objecting again and watching the US go it alone in Iraq. If the US does good work in Iraq(which appears likely), they UN could only be seen as an irrelevent debating club.

 

[Gaard]

So we didn't concede anything? Sorry for not being up to date...been pretty busy.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard
So we didn't concede anything? Sorry for not being up to date...been pretty busy.

We did not concede anything. Those that want to help, can. The UN can help. But the US will remain in control until an Iraqi goverment is stood up. Since we will be paying most of the reconstruction bill, why would we hand control over the UN?

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Gaard
So we didn't concede anything? Sorry for not being up to date...been pretty busy.

We did not concede anything. Those that want to help, can. The UN can help. But the US will remain in control until an Iraqi goverment is stood up. Since we will be paying most of the reconstruction bill, why would we hand control over the UN?

Ask again when our troops riot or have thousands dead, or when Bush is about to loose the election.

 

[Gaard]

Surely, the question will be posed to France.

"After all the posturing...we won't support any resolution without a transfer of power...why the sudden approval?"

What's your take on it? Did they suddenly 'see the light'?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Surely, the question will be posed to France.

"After all the posturing...we won't support any resolution without a transfer of power...why the sudden approval?"

What's your take on it? Did they suddenly 'see the light'?

In my opinion France simply overplayed its hand on the world stage. They wanted a resolution that put the power back in the hands of the iraqi goverment in 30 days. This was outright rejected but the US for being unresonable. France's second offer is 9 months for a symbolic transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment.

Transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment needs to happen when they are ready for it.

 

[Gaard]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Gaard
Surely, the question will be posed to France.

"After all the posturing...we won't support any resolution without a transfer of power...why the sudden approval?"

What's your take on it? Did they suddenly 'see the light'?

In my opinion France simply overplayed its hand on the world stage. They wanted a resolution that put the power back in the hands of the iraqi goverment in 30 days. This was outright rejected but the US for being unresonable. France's second offer is 9 months for a symbolic transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment.

Transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment needs to happen when they are ready for it.

So, in a way, it is kinda like a compromise? France wouldn't have 'offered' 9 months if we had already stated it would take 9 months, would they? That'd be like "OK then I'll help. But only on one condition...we do things your way!"

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Gaard

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Gaard
Surely, the question will be posed to France.

"After all the posturing...we won't support any resolution without a transfer of power...why the sudden approval?"

What's your take on it? Did they suddenly 'see the light'?

In my opinion France simply overplayed its hand on the world stage. They wanted a resolution that put the power back in the hands of the iraqi goverment in 30 days. This was outright rejected but the US for being unresonable. France's second offer is 9 months for a symbolic transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment.

Transfer of power to the Iraqi goverment needs to happen when they are ready for it.

So, in a way, it is kinda like a compromise? France wouldn't have 'offered' 9 months if we had already stated it would take 9 months, would they? That'd be like "OK then I'll help. But only on one condition...we do things your way!"

We did not state it would take 9 months, France did. Our timeline for the Iraqi goverment is going to be what the Iraqi council comes up with. They first have to draft a constitution and that will probably take some time.

 

[daclayman]

Did you people ever think about that $87 billion Bushie is askin for? We offered Turkey millions of dollars before the war just for a southern base. Maybe Germany could use $20 billion; I know the US could. :|

 

[sandorski]

France didn't overplay nor have they changed their position, this is a fantasy to save Bush Admin face. France merely stated that it wouldn't stand in the way of a UN Resolution concerning the UNs' involvement in Iraqi reconstruction.

 

[SuperTool]

What exactly will this resolution accomplish?
It says, go ahead and contribute troops and money to be used under US discretion in Iraq if you want to. Well, noone is stopping anyone from doing it now. Poland is in coalition of the willing. So there is no point in stopping this resolution, because it changes precisely nothing.