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Axis of Evil
France demands Iraqi oil rights to drop veto
2003-01-27
Sunday Herald (Scotland)
Tony Blair and George Bush have privately agreed a joint strategy that will delay any possible war against Iraq for four weeks during which time they will work tirelessly to achieve three key objectives:
  • Firstly, they seek to persuade France, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, not to carry out its threatened veto of a second UN resolution to allow the US to intervene in Iraq. The French, along with Russia and China, also permanent members of the UN but not expected to vote, have extensive oil rights in Iraq and want those guaranteed before agreeing to any UN resolution.

  • Secondly, to ensure that all military personnel and hardware is in place for a likely attack at the start of March.

  • Finally, to utilise every possible moment to win the hearts and minds of the American and British public and persuade them that war is justified in order to disarm Saddam Hussein.
In what will be a crucial five days for the two leaders, culminating in their meeting at Camp David on Friday, the Prime Minister and the US president agreed during a lengthy telephone conversations last week that the 'United Nations route', however difficult, remained their political preference.
They're probably thinking that because they don't want to let the UN die yet. It provides a place for all the obstructionists in the world to gather and pass gas, but doesn't have any real power except for that of public opinion, which can't be discounted. It's a show organization, that impresses the Third World rubes, but it hasn't yet lost enough prestige for the Euros to treat it with open contempt. Until its last vestige of prestige is gone, the U.S. and Britain hesitate to dispose of it because they don't want to hear the whining from the countries who maybe aren't a part of the obstructionist bloc, but still look at the facade, rather than at the reality.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#6  Mojo --- You cracked me up on your comment on the landing of the 3rd AD in Normandy! Quite the good will tour!
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-01-27 21:19:22  

#5  Land the 3rd Armored in Normandy. That'll get their attention...
Posted by: mojo   2003-01-27 17:48:58  

#4  not suprised at all
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-01-27 17:23:51  

#3  So if the French vote to veto, that will stop it?
I doubt it. Will that finally convince them how irrelevant they are in the scheme of things? And will it open up some very desirable office space on the East River? Two annoying birds with one stone? Not a bad deal.
Posted by: tu3031   2003-01-27 16:03:19  

#2  So the quid pro quo is to let the Frenchies in on a piece of the action? Jeez they have become such a pain in the royal rectum! I am not an expert on global politics, but it sure would be nice if we just once tell their govt to f--k off, and let that be a lesson to all of yez.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-01-27 15:20:36  

#1  Perhaps the French should work on relocating the UN headquarters to Paris. I don't think they'll hear any complaints from NY and they could be the center of their fantasy world.
Posted by: anonymous   2003-01-27 13:03:12  

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