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Well, if one asumes that the French blind-sided us, much of your theory would be plausible. However, I see no reason to thnk the administration was blind-sided, since the French merely did what they have been saying for the last few weeks.

I do not think Blair is going to pull out. If he does, he looks weak at home and puts Britain on the list of non-helpfuls (which I am certain Bush is keeping).

Keep this in mind: if we can monitor Iraqi phone calls, as Powell showed in the UN, what makes you think we can't monitor French and German calls as well?

I think everyone needs to look at the track record of this administration and have a little more confidence.

The question is not one of having confidence in our Dubya or in Tony Blair. It is a lack of confidence in the general publics of Great Britain and the United States. More to the point, a lack of confidence in the mass media. Headlines and images like the following DO MATTER:

From the AP via Yahoo News: "Millions Worldwide Rally Against Iraq War."

Partial AP/Yahoo News Caption: Anti-war protesters demonstrate near the United Nations headquarters, Saturday, Feb 15, 2003 in New York to protest a possible U.S. - led attack on Iraq, part of a day of global protests. The crowd stretched for 20 blocks along First Avenue...(AP Photo/Shawn Baldwin) [emphasis mine]

Riri, your point that most in the general public are clueless is absolutely correct. To the extent that they pay any attention to news at all, the vast majority of people only skim the surface of news stories. Their opinions are easily buffeted by breathless headlines, dramatic images, superficial talking heads, and malicious polls.

When you or I look at the photo above, we take the time to analyze it. Most FReepers are likely to notice that there are many signs and banners in foreign languages, including Arabic, but not one American flag. Central in the photo is a huge sign from the rabidly anti-American hard Left group A.N.S.W.E.R. You and I will notice, but the vast majority of the public will only notice a sea of prostesters from around the world on TV tonight.

We must never forget that Tony Blair (bless him) is the head of the Labour Party, a coalition of mostly hard Left dolts, many of whom were probably out among the protesters today. Blair could very easily wind up facing a no confidence vote organized by political enemies to his Left. Then what?

MY POINT TO ALL OF YOU IS THAT PUBLIC RELATIONS MATTERS A GREAT DEAL. In some ways it is even more important than careful war planning.

As for France, they did blind-side Bush and Powell. That's not my opinion, it's what every analyst on Fox News has been saying for the past 10 days or so whenever the subject comes up. It's what many commentators have said in opinion pieces. How have they blind-sided us? By actively and sneakily working to forge an anti-American, anti-British coalition with, among others, Germany, Russia and China to use the UN to tie our hands.

I know it's hard for Americans to even comprehend that it might be possible, but the very international instruments we have used since the end of WWII to keep the peace and foster global free trade could be turned against us. France could easily go the next step and begin seeking sanctions against us if we go into Iraq essentially alone. We would be — heck, we are being — painted as the aggressors; as the danger to world peace.

Please, my FReeper friends, you are all too smart and saavy to under-estimate the danger of losing the public relations aspects of this war.

I would love for us on FR to figure out a way to help this President. But first we need to recognize the very real dangers we face, not just from WMD, but from WMS: Weapons of Mass Stupidity.