RE: SCREW NATO — Old Europe responds
Firstly I would like to commend France, Germany and Belgium for sticking to their principles. US tactics so far have failed to impress anybody and somewhat remind me of a typical playground bully. (I loved Joschka Fischer response to Rumsfelds attempts at condemnation and degradation of those states who oppose US policy, in Munich) The whole point of blocking the NATO vote to defend Turkey has emanated as a result of the Franco-German-Belgian alliance not wanting to inadvertently corner themselves thus undermining their common Iraq policy. If the Franco-German-Belgian alliance were to have allowed the vote to pass they would be sending a message to the world that an invasion on Iraq is inevitable and has the new found alliance’s endorsement where in actual fact the reality is quite the opposite. Rumsfeld has already stated that if France, Germany and Belgium were to block the vote then the US was willing to provide Patriots and E3s to Turkey. Hence whether Turkey’s national security will be jeopardised, as a result of the vote block, is not the issue here. The issue here is that the Franco-German-Belgian alliance will not be subjugated into taking the US position on Iraq. Then we have the issue of Project Mirage. Serious questions have to be raised as to why Powell has dismissed Project Mirage outrightly and accused it as a diversionary tactic. Surely if the US and UK have consistently maintained that war on Iraq is not inevitable then both nations would be willing to endorse and facilitate any potential peaceful resolution to the Iraq issue put forward by any alliance/state(s). Project Mirage is a workable solution and under the auspices of the UN can achieve the objectives on Bush’s agenda through a legitimate framework which enjoys popular backing across the globe.
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