France demands international force for Iraq

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 08/23/03 | Andrew Buncombe

[Pokey78]

France dismissed an effort by the US to get more countries to provide troops for Iraq yesterday, saying an international force should be dispatched only if it had a UN mandate.

At the end of a week in which over 23 people were killed by a bomb attack on the UN's Baghdad offices, France's Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose country has veto power in the Security Council, said the Allies must switch from "a logic of occupation to a logic of sovereignty", telling Le Monde: "We can't make do with adjusting or enlarging the current plan. The right thing would be to bring into play a true international force under the mandate of the UN.."

His sentiments were echoed by UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who warned the Security Council would be unlikely to support a new UN resolution to send more troops to Iraq unless the US shared responsibilities. After a meeting with Jack Straw, the UK's Foreign Secretary, he said the council could consider an international force if it involved "not just burden-sharing but also sharing decisions and responsibility".

Mr Straw, an advocate of greater UN involvement, said despite different starting points on the matter, a "strong consensus" was possible.

[KantianBurke]

Wait. Didn't Rumsfield hear from his commanders in the field that their force levels were adequate? If not, why is the Bush administration looking for foreign troops?

[rolling_stone]

in other news the UN demands an investigation into France's recent mass deaths of its elderly....is it the final solution for France's snowballing socialism bill?

[RightWhale]

"not just burden-sharing but also sharing decisions and responsibility".

Let the Franks show us how it's done. Give them Tikrit.

[SunStar]

If not, why is the Bush administration looking for foreign troops?

So some of our guys can come home...

[TRY ONE]

Texas: "It's Bigger than Fance"

[Newbomb Turk]

France is in no position to demand anything. Plus I hear their residents can't stand hot weather. Sissies!

[kimmie7]

France....demands..... hee hee hee. Puh-lease.

[kevkrom]

France should have thought about that before threatening a veto many moons ago...

[mdittmar]

France demands?

les permettre de mange le gâteau,that's close,I think.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

So, they demand that action be taken! What will their vote be, when the crunch time comes? The US should draft a resolution post-haste, seeing if the nations will support it or not. I wonder if a lot of those nations making noise publicly will actually vote supporting such a resolution?

[Republican Red]

If we need more international presence why not call on NATO!

France wouldn't even receive an invitation to the meeting.

[Centurion2000]

France : Shut up and buy air conditioners ... we're busy saving the world.

[dinok]

As usual the Bush administration is listening to the State Department types and going to beg at the UN again.

This is embarasing. if we need more troops, we should send our own. If we don't have enough, expand the Army. But begging others for troops gives them the chance to rub our nose in the dirt.

[squidly]

France should have thought about that before threatening a veto many moons ago...

Well, the fools thought their veto threat might deter U.S. action, indicative of inflated self worth on their part. Hell, Dubya straight up told 'em we were going with or without them, and the ninnies didn't believe him. If the idiots had gotten on board to begin with we wouldn't be having this discussion now.

[LibKill]

France demands international force for Iraq

LibKill laughs at France.

Stupid frogs.

[medscribe]

The US demands to know why France, a third world country which had a national emergency because the temperature went up for a few days, is still a permanent member of the Security Council when it's relevance on the world scene died on the battlefield at Waterloo.

[Eva]

The UN had apparently refused to have US troops guard the UN headquarters and that is where the problem arose. The UN was using Iraq security forces which were in place under Saddam.

[SJackson]

KantianBurke: Wait. Didn't Rumsfield hear from his commanders in the field that their force levels were adequate? If not, why is the Bush administration looking for foreign troops?

SunStar: So some of our guys can come home...

Sunstar, if you're right, that's proof positive of inadequate troop levels. Time to step up recruiting.

[Normal4me]

I don't think we need anymore of our combat soldiers policing the streets in Iraq. If France wants to send some pawns over there, let them pay for it too.