4226

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A chewed lakehouse
(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 3:16:41 pm)

(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 3:25:42 pm)

(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 3:48:15 pm)

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BY MICHAEL GONZALEZ
Saturday, April 12, 2003 12:01 a.m. EDT

BRUSSELS--"How did we get here?" asked a former French minister in a newspaper column recently. "Here" is a situation in which French Jews are being beaten up in the streets of Paris and in which President Jacques Chirac has to write to Queen Elizabeth to apologize for the desecration of British tombs in France, and in which one-third of the French have been pulling for Saddam Hussein to win.

An even better question is who brought us here. The former environment minister, Corinne Lepage, lays the blame on the government and an obeisant media for "having wanted to stigmatize American policy in excessive fashion." But it's time to name names.

Mr. Chirac brought us here, as did his foreign minister Dominique de Villepin. In Belgium the foreign, defense and prime ministers--Louis Michel, André Flahaut and Guy Verhofstadt--have brought their country to shame too. And that's just the start.

Mr. de Villepin, the pinup boy of diplomacy in "progressive" circles, was not just content to travel the world in an attempt to derail U.S. policy. Reportedly, he also has made instructive comments that make clear "how we got here." Mr. de Villepin, sources say, last week told members of the National Assembly that "hawks" in the U.S. administration are "in the hands of [Ariel] Sharon." According to the satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaine, he went so far as to attack a "pro-Zionist" lobby made up of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, White House staffer Elliot Abrams and Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, all Jews.
But it's not just a juif thing. Mr. de Villepin--who claims in his book "The Cry of the Gargoyle" to be a fan of both Machiavelli and Napoleon--never shies from messianic statements. He told legislators that the fight over Iraq was actually one against "Anglo-Saxon liberalism," an Assembly member told me.

But indignant reactions are now being heard. An editorial on Radio France Internationale noticed that the phrase "the Anglo-American forces," constantly used instead of "coalition forces," is borrowed straight from Vichy propaganda. In her own j'accuse for Le Figaro, Ms. Lepage said that to the errors of the media and the leaders, "one can add the pacifist demonstrations, which have nothing peaceful about them." She could "bear witness to the fact that these demonstrations are far from gatherings of real defenders of the rights of man or of peace. These are hordes orchestrated by the security services of Islamicist groups which . . . shout extremely violent slogans in which racial and anti-Semitic hatred is expressed without the least taboo."

Small wonder that the Interior Ministry itself says a mere spark could "turn anti-Americanism in the suburbs into uncontrolled violence." That observation comes too late for Noam Levy, a Jew beaten with an iron bar while at an antiwar demonstration. He said he was shocked by "the anti-Zionist slogans." (He should check with the Quai d'Orsay about the provenance of these feelings.) And it's too late for the families of Britons who died defending France in World War I, and whose tombs near Calais were vandalized. Among the graffiti on a cenotaph: "Dig up your rubbish, it's contaminating our soil."

"France," wrote Mr. Chirac to Queen Elizabeth with all the pomp--not to mention pomposity--at his command, "knows what it owes to the sacrifice and courage of British soldiers who came to help her recover her liberty in the fight against barbarity. . . . From the French people and from me personally, I offer you my deepest regrets." Too late. Mr. Chirac has himself refused to say which side he backs in the war. No wonder a third of the French tell pollsters that they want Saddam to win. Mr. Chirac is basking in 60% approval ratings, but he's paid for them dearly. Demonstrators in the street shout "Long live Chirac, stop the Jews!"

In Belgium, I've witnessed the defense and foreign ministers feed the beast of anti-Americanism, only to protest later that they want to defang it. At a debate last month at the University Libre de Bruxelles, I saw Messrs. Michel and Flahaut inflame a crowd with their comments. Belgians, said the former, are beginning to look on the U.S. as they once did the Soviet Union. "I am beginning to fear the U.S.," he added, his voice rising, to much applause from a 2,000-strong crowd. Not to be outdone, Mr. Flahaut promised to do all he could to kick Tony Blair out of the Socialist International.
By "debate," incidentally, I mean a representative of Republicans Abroad and me on one side, and on the other the two ministers, two pro-government university professors, a journalist who was supposed to act as moderator, and Iraq's ambassador to Belgium. The Iraqi was twice interrupted by the crowd with applause; I was accused of being a CIA agent. When one student stood up to complain that a representative of Saddam's regime was applauded while I was booed, the crowd shouted her down.

Can anyone wonder at the crowd's response, given such leadership? Mr. Flahaut called for bigger anti-U.S. demonstrations that weekend. The government needed them, he said. His government was doing more than just standing by. Just as in places like Castro's Cuba, parents at some Belgian schools received requests for their children to attend the demonstration. As for Mr. Michel, he personally quashed a revolt in his Mouvement Reformateur at a party meeting last month. One politician who was there told me the majority wanted the Belgian government to have a more nuanced policy and not to be in such opposition to the U.S. But Mr. Michel threatened, cajoled, and got his way. This is why there hasn't been a backbench revolt in Belgium and France, though this week a Belgian politician tried to redress the balance by delivering letters of support to the British and U.S. Embassies.

A senior Belgian official told me last week that Mr. Michel "now realizes he's gone too far, that he's made comments he ought not to have made, and is trying to calm things down." Too late. His government situated itself against the war and the U.S. out of a long tradition of subservience to the French and out of fear that otherwise its large Muslim population would riot. "The people then may react by voting for the far right," a Belgian official told me.
Explicable, perhaps. But how immoral to act in such a manner, and how dangerous.

The increasingly visible joy of liberated Iraqis is making clear the moral bankruptcy of those who purported to take the high ground by prolonging Saddam's rule. The diplomatic blunders of Brussels and Paris are coming home to roost. This is how we got here.

Mr. Gonzalez is the deputy editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe.

(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 5:26:11 pm)

Myk Murphy:
thanks for posting that article. the anti-semitism and duplicitous behavior from our continental pals has, at least, been well-documented. i'll be very curious to know just how we'll pay back this treachery. perhaps we won't. honestly, i have no idea. i hope that the european press is taken out to the woodshed, as well. such awfulness.... are we to be hated or is it misdirected self-loathing? when do we start getting parisians wrapped in C-4 explosives detonating themselves in DC?
(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 8:59:53 pm)

Myk Murphy:
perhaps i was a bit harsh on the manchester guardian website's anti-american attitude. there is a voice of reason resident there, albeit buried down near the bottom of the page. not just "beneath the fold", to use paper terms, but way down there... major scrolling was necessary to find david aaronovitch's commentary. unlike mr whitaker, championing the left from the top of the page, mr aaronovitch seems to have found a home in a political center. worth reading.
(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 9:48:05 pm)

Heruka:
Hmmm.

(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 10:05:58 pm)

Heruka:
I read that article. French have no place at all being involved in Iraq anymore. None. "French expertise"? What the fuck does he mean by that? While I agree America shouldn't work on Iraq alone, bringing the French in would accomplish nothing.
(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 10:10:59 pm)

Myk Murphy:
agreed. too much of french foreign policy is based upon subverting US intentions, good or ill. that is never helpful. it's like that "argument clinic" where michael palin encounters john cleese, who offers only contradiction rather than an informed counter-position.

heruka, here's a fun article about travel via freighter. plenty of links... i learned a hell of a lot. i had no idea that this was still a viable means of travel. i thought you would enjoy this.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/793674.asp?FC=1&0si=-&cp1=1
(Sun Apr 13, 2003 - 11:19:25 pm)

Queenie:
anyone up for a little freedom kissing?

heh, that's fun to say :-p
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:16:36 am)

Heruka:
No.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 3:21:31 am)

Heruka:
maybe I've hat too much to drink, but I can't stop laughing at tht guy in the hole down there. this guy.

(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 3:23:32 am)

Heruka:

(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 3:26:07 am)

(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 6:46:00 am)

Heruka:
Too nice to work today. At least to do legit work. I have other stuff that needs attention.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 8:24:58 am)

bela:
Oh dear. I have 923 unread emails in my box.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 9:10:42 am)

(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 10:04:19 am)

Froupie:
i had a huge clearout at the weekend and threw away so much junk i dont need, but i found my long lost duckula video!

(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 10:52:09 am)

Myk Murphy:
Duckula? Please explain. Welcome back to hell, bela. You folks send way too much email.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 11:10:44 am)

Froupie:
hello myk. count duckula that cute lil veggie vampire duck below. in fact, i think i must have a limited edition video its the one with the button on the cover that plays the theme song, i had a fight a little kid in hmv for that about 8 years ago. ahem.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 11:16:15 am)

Froupie:
yknow myk, the guardian (or grauniad as we like to call it) is just about the only readable newspaper here in blighty. if you had to endure all the tory broadsheets or crap like the sun you'd understand why. plus it has a great arts & media section, and the best tv guide!
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 11:19:46 am)

Froupie:
and the pages are really big -which the cat likes to curl up and sleep on.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 11:20:37 am)

bela:
Where is Decoy and Wax and Heruka? Deadski in here.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 11:46:52 am)

alternity:
good day ppeps.
Just writing to let you all know that my mental heal has not been well.
Im very ill and I can see the end of my life near.
I am somewhat frightend. THis sucks and none of you should have to EVER endure the things that I ahve been through. Will this make me stronger? Possibly/ They say what dosen't kill you only makes you stronger. ..but i wonder sometimes.
thanks for listening.
your ol pal alt
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:10:26 pm)

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(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:26:08 pm)

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(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:27:49 pm)

Froupie:
thats very sad to hear alt :(
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:28:56 pm)

Froupie:
i hope you'll be ok, take care of yourself.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:30:04 pm)

bela:
Is that for real? What is wrong with alt? Mental health?
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:35:44 pm)

alternity:
it aint easy being chewed up like this.
thanks for the condolences.
Ill take a nap and pray that I start to heal eventually
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:36:11 pm)

bela:
Are you depressed?
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 12:54:57 pm)

Heruka:
I am.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 1:08:16 pm)

bela:
Yeah we know that.
(Mon Apr 14, 2003 - 1:15:17 pm)