IrishHand
02-11-2003, 01:02 PM
These are off of the BBC website, and are all responses to the current situation involving the recent blocking in NATO by France, Germany and Belgium of US efforts to ship defensive weapons to Turkey, the only NATO member bordering Iraq. I often find it interesting what non-Americans have to say about the word - living in a closed society is never a good thing.
Lots of people are saying that France is protesting because of its interests in the Middle East, or in order to set up a rival block against the US. But what is the US doing? Is war not in its own interest? Is assistance by Nato in its own interest, allowing it to take back the money spent in military operations in Iraq? The US is not alone in the Atlantic Alliance, it has to deal with other countries and what they are thinking. Even the French population is against war, Chirac is merely following public opinion.
Amaury, France/Scotland
Nato has the obligation to defend a member only if it is attacked and in this moment I do not see any country attacking Turkey. It is annoying, the arrogance of the Bush administration and his allies Great Britain which want to attack a country without ONU support. If they attack Iraq and kill innocent people they should be judged as war criminals by international laws. They did not present conclusive evidence that Iraq has WMDs so the only logical reason to attack Iraq seems to be its oil resources.
Mihai Murgan, Bucharest, Romania
Turkey seeks Nato consultation because, ostensibly, its security has been threatened. But who has put Turkey's security in peril? It was the US - another Nato member by trying to engulf war in the region. If the US is genuinely interested in Turkey's security, it should do its utmost to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis and to prevent war. The Nato Treaty, in particular Article 4, has been drafted for the purpose of protecting Nato members and not for the purpose of allowing one member to put another member's security in jeopardy. France and Belgium's stance is admirable!
Andrei Yakovlev, Moscow, Russia
Jay Leno may have stated it best when he said, "How can we (US) expect France to help us get Saddam out of Iraq? We couldn't even get France to help us get Germany out of France!"
Bill, USA
It is not a question of right or wrong. France is being cautious and logical. A war with Iraq could cause grave effects. Some politicians are taking a "gamble" and hoping the war will run "smoothly" in their favour, not such an outrageous plan, but let the French have their opinion and maintain their dignity.
A Ashley, Madrid, Spain
What a surprise - France takes the moral high ground, and will expect to benefit no matter which way the crisis ends.
Harry Windsor, UK
The US states that France is provoking a crisis, what a joke! Everything possible should be done to prevent war, and even if France is only doing so for its own political gain it should be highly commended. The US is once again trying to bully countries into supporting its second rate thinking and every country who resists them should be applauded.
David, Glasgow, Scotland
Of course France is right to stand up for sanity against US greed and blood-lust. The vast majority of Britons agree with Jacques Chirac on this. What we should ask is why Blair is not doing the same.
John, Bristol, England
France and Germany are showing refreshing levels of sense with respect to this situation. The public have been given no credible evidence that Iraq, as a state, poses any threat beyond that than any other armed country does. I think Blair will find that a majority of the UK population will back Germany and France.
Pepe, Basingstoke, UK
How come everybody keeps saying it is the Europeans that force the split on Iraq? I think the blame for the current crisis should be placed with the US, after all they began this bullying tactics against the wishes of the majority of this planet.
Darek, UK
Lots of people are saying that France is protesting because of its interests in the Middle East, or in order to set up a rival block against the US. But what is the US doing? Is war not in its own interest? Is assistance by Nato in its own interest, allowing it to take back the money spent in military operations in Iraq? The US is not alone in the Atlantic Alliance, it has to deal with other countries and what they are thinking. Even the French population is against war, Chirac is merely following public opinion.
Amaury, France/Scotland
Nato has the obligation to defend a member only if it is attacked and in this moment I do not see any country attacking Turkey. It is annoying, the arrogance of the Bush administration and his allies Great Britain which want to attack a country without ONU support. If they attack Iraq and kill innocent people they should be judged as war criminals by international laws. They did not present conclusive evidence that Iraq has WMDs so the only logical reason to attack Iraq seems to be its oil resources.
Mihai Murgan, Bucharest, Romania
Turkey seeks Nato consultation because, ostensibly, its security has been threatened. But who has put Turkey's security in peril? It was the US - another Nato member by trying to engulf war in the region. If the US is genuinely interested in Turkey's security, it should do its utmost to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis and to prevent war. The Nato Treaty, in particular Article 4, has been drafted for the purpose of protecting Nato members and not for the purpose of allowing one member to put another member's security in jeopardy. France and Belgium's stance is admirable!
Andrei Yakovlev, Moscow, Russia
Jay Leno may have stated it best when he said, "How can we (US) expect France to help us get Saddam out of Iraq? We couldn't even get France to help us get Germany out of France!"
Bill, USA
It is not a question of right or wrong. France is being cautious and logical. A war with Iraq could cause grave effects. Some politicians are taking a "gamble" and hoping the war will run "smoothly" in their favour, not such an outrageous plan, but let the French have their opinion and maintain their dignity.
A Ashley, Madrid, Spain
What a surprise - France takes the moral high ground, and will expect to benefit no matter which way the crisis ends.
Harry Windsor, UK
The US states that France is provoking a crisis, what a joke! Everything possible should be done to prevent war, and even if France is only doing so for its own political gain it should be highly commended. The US is once again trying to bully countries into supporting its second rate thinking and every country who resists them should be applauded.
David, Glasgow, Scotland
Of course France is right to stand up for sanity against US greed and blood-lust. The vast majority of Britons agree with Jacques Chirac on this. What we should ask is why Blair is not doing the same.
John, Bristol, England
France and Germany are showing refreshing levels of sense with respect to this situation. The public have been given no credible evidence that Iraq, as a state, poses any threat beyond that than any other armed country does. I think Blair will find that a majority of the UK population will back Germany and France.
Pepe, Basingstoke, UK
How come everybody keeps saying it is the Europeans that force the split on Iraq? I think the blame for the current crisis should be placed with the US, after all they began this bullying tactics against the wishes of the majority of this planet.
Darek, UK