Probe sought of French parts sales

Washington Times ^ | 3/08/03 | Bill Gertz

[kattracks]

The U.S. government should investigate reports that France allowed Iraq to obtain military equipment in violation of U.N. sanctions, a senior Republican senator said yesterday.

"There is no need for France to sell equipment to Saddam Hussein," said Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. "It is international treason. ... It is in violation of a U.N. resolution, and there should be no question — no question — about French officials. They should come forward quickly to deal with the story."

[EGPWS]

"I believe the American people need to know more about this. We need to know why two ... among the best of our allies [are] standing on the sidelines as we prepare to try and destroy this regime that threatens the world," he said.

It should be a full blown investigation and if found to be true, France should be censured in the U.N. and we should imediately leave the U.N. and form a global group consisting of our friends and allies that we can trust and depend on.

[dmeara]

I do not see how some could continue arguing the UN is irrelevant while members of the UNSC are assisting the Iraqi regime militarily. They are quite relevant to the equation as they are endangering our troops and our country.

[kattracks]

Iraq strengthens air force with French parts

[MJY1288]

IMHO, The U.N has shown itself to be useless. For anyone of these members to sign 1441 and not be willing to enforce it, their words mean nothing.

If we pulled out of the U.N. it would collapse or become nothing more the a huge circle jerk of diplomats gathered to share comforting thoughts. GWB gave the U.N. the opportunity to stand up and they failed, primarily due to the anti-American position France has taken.

The problem I see in the U.N. is that they are focused on confronting the USA and not confronting the REAL dangers that face the world. The U.N. has never been "out in front" of anything.

[auboy]

I don't think France and Germany are alone. Add Russia and China to the list of suspects. But, France is definitely the most blatant. I would bet the parts to build Iraqi drones/UAVs were supplied by these evil weasels. Chirac is in bed with Saddam, and has been since the 70s.

[Kay Soze]

NO MORE WMD’s FOR OIL

[EGPWS]

I do not see how some could continue arguing the UN is[not] irrelevant while members of the UNSC are assisting the Iraqi regime militarily. They are quite relevant to the equation as they are endangering our troops and our country.

So who is one to trust? The U.N.? Who I might add is our savior in the minds of the liberals in Washington more so than our own President is!

[McGruff]

[dmeara]

My point is that France and Germany are relevant, albeit in a negative way. They are arming our deadly enemies while making a sham of the UNSC.

[EGPWS]

The problem I see in the U.N. is that they are focused on confronting the USA and not confronting the REAL dangers that face the world. The U.N. has never been "out in front" of anything.

And Saddam is wringing his hands with glee at the decention as much as Alqeda is.

[RepublicanArmy]

Thanks for the info!!!!!!!!! I say we sned in the FBI, CIA, ETC..... and take all those involved into cuxtody. Including Chirac!!!!!!!

[musicman]

Did you ever see the "Andy Griffith Show" episode when Gomer tried to "citizen arrest" Barney after he u-turned the squad car in the middle of Main Street?..Gomer yelling as he is approaching the "perpetrator" Barney....

Gomer:"CITIZEN'S ARREST!!! CITIZEN'S ARREST!!!!"..........

.....well..after reading your post....

."MATERIAL BREECH!!!!...MATERIAL BREECH!!!!!"....

....(almost forgot....a "Thanks for the post kattracks" bump!!)

[EGPWS]

My point is that France and Germany are relevant, albeit in a negative way. They are arming our deadly enemies while making a sham of the UNSC

Got it! ;)

[EGPWS]

Gomer:"CITIZEN'S ARREST!!! CITIZEN'S ARREST!!!!"..........

hee..hee..hee..! I'd like to see Chirac's expression to see if it would be a classic as Don Knotts was!

[Wisc Paul]

The UN 'become nothing more the a huge circle jerk ' - It has been that since it's creation. It has always been the US and Britain that have made 'diplomacy' and UN appear to work, backed up by our force/threat of force, and our sacrifice. The UN has never fullfilled it primary mandate of averting war. It has degenerated even more so recently with the current absurdity of Guinea as the head of the SC, and votes from other like countries such as Camoroon and Chile factoring into decisions about the security of the Middle East and our country?!

AND What's Worse even is UN/Diplomacy- whorshipers such as Powell and other doves from the state dept. (who played a major role in our not finishing the job due to 'UN mandate' in 'Dessert Storm'- I was in Army Inlell at the time and was pissed (as was Gen. Schwartzkof, who resigned in disgust, contrary to what he might say today) taking us through the UN this time, thus delaying action that should have been executed months ago. Powell's attempt to make the UN 'relevant' is putting our troops more at risk every day we continue to delay and play UN games, and even today couldn't bring himself to openly play hardball with the french, and even still called them 'friends' at press conference - disgusting!

The bottom line is that there is no reason for our hard-earned taxs and the extra expense that New York puts up to maintain such a useless debating society in our midst - world diplomacy will continue without the UN, as it always has in reality, through other institutions, organizations and direct talks and consultations - the UN should be told to have subsequent meetings at say a conference center at a Holiday Inn in paris - that prime East River property could be much better put to use for much-need NY housing.

[Robert_Paulson2]

War with France by year's end.... NOT just trade sanctions. And they will probably start it... as they are indeed one of the state sponsors of terrorism... They have had ample warning, since 9-11 that this was a "with us" or "against us" proposition. Day by day, their "against us" actions are piling up to an act of war. It will be requited of them.

France's government will be collapsed, or overthrown. Germany is going to get it too. Russia, is behind it all... and as soon as the missile shield is fifty percent effective... bye bye pootie poot...

They could all repent. But they won't because they are addicted politically to their hatred of American hegemony. They are like sadaam... some bridges are so long, you cannot cross them twice in a lifetime. France, Germany, Iraq and Russia... have all crossed and burned their bridges with us... several times now.

closing time.

[zip]

"It is international treason

Strike that portion and I do not see any misstatements by SENATOR Stevens. Are you pro frog or anti American?

[steveegg]

NO MORE WMD’s FOR OIL

Nice, can I borrow that slogan?

[steveegg]

Just call all of them what they are; the Axis of Weavil™.

[JustPiper]

France should be censured in the U.N

The UN should be censured. I watched Scarborough last night and boy did I get mad. He said think about it :

We have terrorist and communist countries with seats in the UN. We, the US gets kicked off the human rights commision and Syria-SYRIA, gets our seat! And China has VETO power, what the hell are we doing in the UN people?!

[zip]

And Mr. Stevens (I now refuse to call him Sen.) has plainly violated his oath to the Constitution

That statement is is the objectionable one. It has NOTHING to do with France's response. Where do you "see" anything that can be construed to be a violation of our Constitution in the article?

In response to your question - I AM a conservative Republican as opposed to your disruptor status.

[Grampa Dave]

Correction, his name is ChIraq.

[Grampa Dave]

This is great: NO MORE WMD’s FOR OIL!

[tomahawk]

If true, it's time to impose sanctions on France. They are merchants of death, selling to every SS-Islamofacsist regime they can so that Jews and Americans can be murdered. The French are the arsenal of Islamofascism and should be treated as such.

[expatpat]

All the more reason to make it irrelevant by killing it.

[Cap Huff]

"I believe the American people need to know more about this. We need to know why two ... among the best of our allies [are] standing on the sidelines as we prepare to try and destroy this regime that threatens the world," he said.

This contains what I consider another misstatement. They are NOT standing on the sidelines, they are actively running interference for Saddam.

[Republic of Texas]

This is the tip of the iceberg. The only people on earth who are TRULY willing to trade blood for oil, is the French. They have huge oil and defense contracts with Iraq, and they are more than willing to trade Iraqi blood to keep those contracts.

[Republic of Texas]

Without our money, the UN wouldn't last a week. They can't even afford to have a circle jerk without us.

[auboy]

the Axis of Weavil™

Very good!

[kesg]

This story quotes only Republican lawmakers. Didn't any Democrats also protest what the French may have done here? Or have the Democrats essentially become the French?

[bert]

Getm real......

America, the land of Clinton who always acted in a legal manner, has no right to complain to France when the French company acted in a legal manner by selling to a legitimate company who sold to another who sold to Iraq.

A country who condones the lies of it's own President who raises a legal defense for every action of his whole administration and that worships his wife and elects her to high office, has no right to complain about a few spare parts.

Indict and try Bill Clinton and then your complaints will have some validity.

[Lazamataz]

I hate French parts.

I'm rather in favor of Italian parts. Witness Sophia Loren, for example.

[Kay Soze]

Yes- the No Oil for WMDS - it belongs to all freepers you may all use it to your hearts delight

[winner3000]

Why do we still keep calling the French and Germans our "allies"? Words mean things. These two countries have not acted as our allies for a long, long time. This is nothing new. It's about time to call a spade a spade.

[RepublicanArmy]

LOL good call!!!!!!!!!!

[TRY ONE]

Once "Ken Star" takes a look at this
me thinks he will find a white spot
on France's blue dress......

[steveegg]

Use "Axis of Weavil" in good health and prosper :-)

[Coleus]

Good point, thanks for alerting us to that fact.

[Rain-maker]

BOYCOTT FRANCE

[rmvh]

Why is this so surprising?

The duplicitous French have been underminig world freedom since day one.

Recall it was the French who supllied Iraq with its first nuclear reactor, providing the foundation for a nuclear arsenal. Fortunately, The Israli air force destroyed this French outrage.

[rmvh]

Re your # 40..To speak of "international treason"... is to deny the supremacy of the Constitution,...

Hardly.

International treason can be defined in many ways, correctly, as is here. (example)...Treasonous attacks by Germany (1939)......

The dictionary definition of treason includes: "A betrayal of trust or confidence"...One does not have to deep six the Constitution in order to clearly comprehend the duplicitous and treasonous nature of France.

[RummyChick]

It has probably been 10 years since I watch Andy Griffith Show but I can clearly recall that episode.

"I believe the American people need to know more about this. We need to know why two ... among the best
of our allies [are] standing on the sidelines as we prepare to try and destroy this regime that threatens the world,"
he said."


He should have been reading Free Republic weeks ago. We have been wondering the same thing...with a little more specificity as to why.

[EGPWS]

"I believe the American people need to know more about this. We need to know why two ... among the best of our allies [are] standing on the sidelines as we prepare to try and destroy this regime that threatens the world," he said."

He should have been reading Free Republic weeks ago. We have been wondering the same thing...with a little more specificity as to why.

Who knows, FR may have been where he got his light bulb light! It just takes things longer to come into view in Washington. :)

Anybody that understands 1/2 of the current issues that the average freeper understands would have to know that some "allies" are lying to themselves if they think motives other than just trying to maintain the peace aren't in the picture. IMHO

[rmvh]

Re your #46....The word "international" would be superfluous in your interpretation, but not in mine.

Ah, not so. International does not require the involvment of ALL nations on earth....

I will stick with the dictionary definition stated....But....Have a nice day anyway.