France's Game (French opposition to the U.S. is not about Iraq but about who runs the world)

Time Magazine ^ | March 24, 2003 (Advance Copy) | CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

[conservativecorner]

What is it with France? It is one thing to oppose American policy on Iraq. Germany, China and many others have done so. France, however, has gone beyond mere opposition. France has been bent on organizing a worldwide coalition — a coalition of the unwilling — to stop the U.S., not just lining up other major powers like Russia but even sending its Foreign Minister on a tour of Africa to persuade three members of the U.N. Security Council to vote against the U.S. and ensure an American defeat.

Why? The usual reasons apply — France's enormous Iraqi oil contracts and enormous unpaid Iraqi loans that would vanish with Saddam Hussein. But they don't suffice to explain such an ambitious enterprise. There is another reason, far more powerful. The Iraq crisis, and the roiling uneasiness in the world about U.S. policy, have provided France with an opportunity for the ultimate grand stroke — an attempt to actually break the American monopoly of power in the world. This is geopolitics at the highest level, and the French, who have been banished from the game for a good half-century, cannot resist the lure of playing it again.

France is not trying to contain Iraq. After all, it spent the 1990s at the U.N. relentlessly trying to undo containment of Iraq. France is trying to contain the U.S.

In 1991, the bipolar world of U.S.-Soviet domination collapsed. At the time, it was assumed that the new world would be multipolar, with the U.S., the European Union, Japan, Russia and a rising China sharing power and balancing one another.

That did not happen. What emerged instead was a unipolar world, the U.S. bestriding the globe like a colossus, more dominant in every field of endeavor — economic, military, diplomatic, cultural, even linguistic — than any other nation since Rome.

This the French cannot abide. We Americans marvel at the polls showing how many people consider George W. Bush a greater danger to the world than Saddam Hussein. Yet the President of France himself flirts with this demonology when he tells TIME, "Any community with only one dominant power is always a dangerous one." Translation: American power in and of itself is a global menace.

"This is not about Saddam Hussein, and this is not even about regime change in Iraq or ... missiles or chemical weapons," explains Pierre Lellouche, a conservative Parliament member and former foreign-policy adviser to Jacques Chirac. "It's about whether the United States is allowed to run world affairs."

Chirac does not imagine that he will create a military bloc to confront the U.S., as did the Soviet Union. What he is trying to establish is something only slightly less ambitious: an oppositional bloc, a restraining bloc, a French-led coalition of nations challenging the hegemony of American power and the legitimacy of American dominance.

It was Charles de Gaulle who first charted this course. He tried to break away from the U.S. by, for example, ordering American troops out of France and withdrawing from the military structure of NATO. But during the cold war this was not realistic. The Soviet threat loomed. Today, with the Warsaw Pact dead, France can safely make its reach for grandeur.

De Gaulle said he was motivated always by "a certain idea of France." Nostalgia for that exalted status, hunger for imperial gloire, is what animates French policy today. France does not expect to rival America but to tame it, restrain it, thwart it — and to accept the world's laurels for having led the way.

Not only would this make France leader of the global opposition. It would also restore France to what it sees as its rightful place as leader of Europe. Which is why the great subplot in the Iraq drama is the fate of Tony Blair. Blair represents precisely the alternative vision — Churchillian vs. Gaullist — of accepting and working with American leadership in the world. Chirac's U.N. stand has caused Blair huge political difficulties at home, where much of his own Labour Party opposes him on Iraq. If Blair can be politically destroyed, France will have demonstrated to the world the price of going with America — and defying France. Other players — such as the East Europeans, whom Chirac has already rudely threatened for supporting the U.S.--will have to think twice when deciding whether to go with America or the French-led opposition.

Dean Acheson famously said, "Britain has lost an empire but has not yet found a role." France too lost an empire but has found its role: giant killer. Remaker of the post — cold war world. Leader of the global anti-American camp.

Heady stuff. And Iraq is the least of it.

[11th Commandment]

This came from TIME?

[Diddle E. Squat]

bump

[Semper Paratus]

The last time the French were pre-eminent in world diplomacy was 1920-39.

[xzins]

This is only half of it. It slants toward France's role in Europe.

France has an historic role in the Mediterranean basin, and I think France wishes to unite the Arabic nations of that basin with the European Union.

European industrial strength and Islamic oil and strategic global positioning will create greater than a rival to US interests.

As a nuclear power they see themselves leading this coalition.

[bfree]

Look who the author is. My favorite-Krauthammer!!

[rlbedfor]

The outcome of squaring off between "the coalition of the unwilling" versus "the coalition of the willing" would not require much thought to figure out who wins.

[Question_Assumptions]

"Any community with only one dominant power is always a dangerous one."

So, it is bad for the UN to be the sole dominant power in the World, the EU to be the sole dominant power in Europe, and the French goverment of Mr. Chiraq to be the sole dominant power in France. Perhaps he'd like to share power with the Basques or Bretons.

[Fee]

France will learn just like the Arab World, that Americans are a sleeping giant. Despite its huge power, it had not truly been imperialistic, because most Americans are interested in their own lives and communities and less aware of international issues. Americans had to be prodded into helping Ethiopia, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo and even the war against Iraq in 1991 (domestic support for the war is less than current support for war). Unfortunately for France, 9/11 changed all that. Attitudes have changed, and National Security is a major issue. Terrorist bases and its backers and allies are no longer tolerated. The US is committed to a long protracted war against them. If France gets in the way, the American people will want their government to apply our power to the fullest extent to crush them. No, after Iraq and Iran is taken out. North Korea and France will feel our boot quite well. In the past France can play their power games because the American people were apathetic, but now they are not.

[ken5050]

IMHO, I don't think Charles gets all of it. France's opposition is aimed NOT at weakening the US role int he world, but rather, GB's...and they want to take down Tony Blair...lest you forget, Blair is soon posed to embark on a plan to convince GB to give up its currency and adopt the Euro...a necessary precursor for further integration of GB into to EU....which is now dominated by France and Germany, whose primacy would soon be challenged by GB...now the British vote is dicey, at best, and if Blair is discredited, well, I can't really see him calling for GB to adopt the national currency of France and Germany.....

[smith288]

France is a nuisance. They are about the size of Texas with no where near the heart of the Lonestar state.

France will be economically and politically damaged. It warms my heart.

[Capitalist Eric]

What is it with France?

Three simple words:

Delusions of significance.

'Nuff said.

[Cicero]

Who is the natural leader of the opposition? France? I don't think so. France simply lacks the power. The more they throw their weight around in Europe, the more the other Europeans will resent them. IMHO the natural leader of the opposition is China.

Outside the United States the two vital centers of cultural power are Islam and China. China is the subtler enemy, perhaps only a potential enemy. But France is going nowhere.

[demkicker]

Once again, Krauthammer nails it! I hope France's fragile economy will plunge & the pompous, prissy Chiraq is driven out of office for this. Since so much of their economic stake is tied up in Iraq, doesn't it stand to reason Chiraq is going to lose "big time" when his contracts are no longer valid? Looks like he's an amateur playing poker with a crappy hand.

[Snerfling]

Jeez, about time (weak pun intended) some of the major columnists have picked up on a theme that has been discussed at FR for some time.

The juvenile anti-French rants were nothing more than stupid fish repeatedly going for a lure; the true 'grand game' is now underway, evident for all to see.

France and the unwilling vs. US and the willing vs. primitive savages bent on destroying both.

There's no reason to hate the French, just as there was no reason to hate the Russians during the Cold war. Know your rival and act accordingly.

[eeriegeno]

Why has no one yet asked if France has a 'conflict of interests' in making decisions at the UN level about the Iraqi situation? Does France have financial interests in Iraq? What has been sold to Iraq by France in the last 12 years? What contracts were signed? What was promised? Are France's decisions being biased by these financial interests? Should they have recused themselves from the UN voting process because of these interests?

[Smedley]

"Any community with only one dominant power is always a dangerous one."

Yes, the world is safer with a number of power-mad despots who actively seek and proliferate WMDs when they aren't killing their own people, arming and training terrorists, or threatening/attacking their neighbors.

[NJJ]

Not only would this make France leader of the global opposition. It would also restore France to what it sees as its rightful place as leader of Europe.

It has been said that France lacks the power to be a world leader again. I would suggest that Chirac has made a Faustian deal with the devil and Iraq now IS The French Foreign Legion.

[Centurion2000]

I would suggest that Chirac has made a Faustian deal with the devil and Iraq now IS The French Foreign Legion.

Chiraq got raped in that deal then .....

[philosofy123]

The European Union has been in the making, and we have learned of lots of concerns from the American strategists. The reality is France, and "old" Europe are dreaming if they think that they have a confrontational chance against the US.