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Donât snub US, Straw warns
Britain delivered a blunt warning to France and Germany last night that they will "reap a whirlwind" if they refuse to sign up to a new Anglo-American resolution paving the way for an attack on Iraq.
For starters.
Highlighting Britain's frustration with its fellow European Union members, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, claimed that Washington would abandon "multilateral" institutions such as the UN and Nato if Europe refuses to fall into line.
Actually, it would be the US and NATO that would have abandoned us.
"What I say to France and Germany and all my other EU colleagues is take care, because just as America helps to define and influence our politics, so what we do in Europe helps to define and influence American politics," Mr Straw told MPs on the Commons foreign affairs select committee. "And we will reap a whirlwind if we push the Americans into a unilateralist position in which they are the centre of this unipolar world."
| Kind of puts the whole thing into a nutshell, doesn't it? Historically, we haven't spent all our time puffing and blowing like the tin hat crowd, and a significant part of the world has taken that as a signal to treat us as in international piñata. That fact that we're a mild-mannered bunch doesn't mean we don't have a breaking point, which is just... about... there. |
Mr Straw's warning to France and Germany â his toughest since the Iraq crisis erupted â underlined the determination of Britain and the US to prevent Paris from wielding its veto when the new resolution goes to the vote at the UN security council. President Bush is understood to have stepped up the pressure on Jacques Chirac in recent days by warning the French president that he will neither forgive nor forget if France continues to oppose the resolution.
| Perhaps, since Bush is a "cowboy", he should be taken at his word. That's an obscure concept for a French president, but he could have somebody research it... |
Mr Straw referred to the UN and Nato and said: "It would be very unacceptable if we were to place those institutions at risk." His remarks were echoed by the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, who warned that time was running out. "What we are doing ... is stepping up to the challenge of leadership," he told Channel 4 News. "Either the international community's will has meaning or does not have meaning."
"And if you have no nothing, you'd best get out of the way."
In a clear sign that the criticism of France and Germany has the blessing of Downing Street, Peter Mandelson warned last night that the US would behave "like a sheriff and his posse" sorting out the world's problems if Europe refuses to engage with Washington.
| And, in my opinion at least, do a better job of it... |
Posted by: Steve White 2003-03-05 |
