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From Accuracy In Media Noble Principles Behind Euro Opposition To War? The national media have devoted much attention to Europe’s opposition to the use of force against Iraq. They were quick to report that neither France nor Germany found Secretary Colin Powell’s case against Saddam Hussein persuasive. The Washington Post quoted France’s Prime Minister sniffing that Powell’s speech at the United Nations caused "no change at all" in his country’s opposition to war on Iraq. And the New York Times highlighted Germany’s foreign minister speaking "forcefully against any early move to war." At least, the impression that either country speaks for the rest of Europe has been demolished by the letter from eight European leaders to the Wall Street Journal expressing support for U.S. policies on Iraq. The eight, which included Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, were soon joined by Bulgaria and Slovakia in offering assistance and support to the U.S. The Times then ran a Reuters’ wire story snidely referred to such assistance as coming from "Ex-Communist Europeans." But the experience of life under a tyrannical, ruthless dictatorship has clearly equipped these countries with a better understanding of the dangers the world faces from Saddam Hussein than the current ruling parties of France or Germany. Analysis of the motivations and incentives behind French or German opposition to U.S. policies has been notably absent from this coverage. Most reporting leaves the impression that French or German opposition is based solely on a noble opposition to war in general. French President Jacques Chirac professes to abhor war and Germany’s foreign minister is depicted pleading for a "peaceful solution to the crisis." But more than just noble intentions may be behind French and German opposition to war on Iraq. British newspapers have reported that eighty German firms have been identified as supplying technology and expertise to Iraq’s programs to develop weapons of mass destruction. Among past German exports to Iraq were "dual use" switching devices that could be used to trigger nuclear warheads. Ten French firms have also been identified as selling to Iraqi entities known to be involved in Baghdad’s nuclear, chemical, and missile programs. Investigative reporter Kenneth Timmerman has concluded that the French and Germans are willing suppliers to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs. He reports that French companies have sold agricultural sprayers to Iraq that could be used to disperse biological weapons. French and German firms stand to lose billions of dollars in industrial contracts, if Saddam is toppled from power. Saddam’s removal could also lead to the cancellation of billions of dollars in Iraqi debt to the French and German governments and billions more in debt to private corporations in France and Germany. Timmerman reports that Saddam’s removal would also cancel out Iraqi contracts with French and German oil companies. His reporting suggests that perhaps French and German motivations are not so noble after all. But don’t expect to hear about that from the elite media. Reed Irvine can be reached at ri@aim.org
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To view the Boycott Network’s “Super Index” of boycott information hosted on this website, click HERE |
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Due to the extensive scope and breath of coverage pertaining to the power grab of the “Franco-German Axis,” the Boycott Network recommends use of their special subject index by clicking HERE |
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