The Accordions of War, Part IV
According to the Sun - a tabloid with less of a reputation than the National Enquirer - Chirac is facing scorn at home as well as abroad. Since it is the Sun, take this with a large dose of salt - it will be interesting to see if some of their points are confirmed by other papers or future events.
In a blistering phone call last week, President George Bush told the posturing Frenchman: "President Chirac, we will not forgive and we will not forget."A vote by Russia and China, along with Britain and America, in favour of a second UN resolution on military action would cut the ground from under Chirac. And it would sweep wobbly African states Guinea, Cameroon and Angola - along with Mexico, Chile and Pakistan - into the pro-war majority.
Chirac faces a humiliating climbdown in front of the world - or risks total isolation by using his veto at the UN. If he votes against action, America will sweep his protest aside and go to war immediately. A senior diplomat said: "More sophisticated French politicians are appalled with the way Chirac has gone out on a limb." They are desperate to avoid a vote of any sort in the UN.
I bet they are. Like most people, Chirac underestimated President Bush. Bush was patient and gave Chirac plenty of rope. I find it hard to sympathize with Chirac. I have some international friends who truly believe a war to liberate Iraq will do more harm than good. While I disagree, I can respect their opinion. However, Chirac has been enabling Saddam to rebuild for years. I will not have any sympathy for him when he goes down in history as the man who did more to reduce France's international influence than any other man in history. He earned that epigraph.
However, I'm not convinced that Russia and China will vote in favor of another resolution. I hope so. But I'm not as confident on this matter as the Sun.