New Book Details Diplomatic Hardball Against Friendly Nations In Run-Up To Iraq War

New Book Details Diplomatic Hardball Against Friendly Nations In Run-Up To Iraq War

Washington Post   |  Column Lynch   |   March 22, 2008 06:27 PM


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In the months leading up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals against friendly countries who withheld their support, spied on its allies, and pressed for the recall of U.N. envoys that resisted U.S. pressure to endorse the war, according to an upcoming book by a top Chilean diplomat.

The rough-and-tumble diplomatic strategy has generated lasting "bitterness" and "deep mistrust" in Washington's relations with allies in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, wrote Heraldo Muñoz, Chile's ambassador to the United Nations, in his book "A Solitary War: A Diplomat's Chronicle of the Iraq War and Its Lessons," set for publication next month.

"In the aftermath of the invasion, allies loyal to the United States were rejected, mocked and even punished" for their refusal to back a U.N. resolution authorizing military action against Saddam Hussein's government, Muñoz wrote.

But the tough talk dissipated as the war effort worsened and President Bush came to reach out to many of the same allies that he had spurned. Muñoz's account suggests the U.S. strategy backfired in Latin America, damaging the administration's standing in a region that has long been dubious of U.S. military intervention.

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What happened to my excellent post here yesterday?

I have over 150 fans because my posts are original

and a fresh slant on how this criminal cabal works.

Are ignorant opinions fine as long as they don't get

too close to the truth about the Bush crime family?

.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:24 PM on 03/23/2008

But the final sanction was not imposed on Mexico like it was on the French. French fries were renamed Freedom fries. No one renamed the Mexican Hat Dance the Freedom Hat Dance. Mexico backed down before it came to that.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:11 AM on 03/23/2008

When a country is seeking IMMUNITY from human rights abuses - that itself says something.

This is what the United States did to the U.N. and that should have sent emergency alarms ringing through all the corridors of power in the world. But it didn't.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:21 AM on 03/23/2008
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Actually, there are some very good comments here

but they remain safe, employing facts and supposing

no fascist conspiracy, just a very bad administration.

Huffpo moderators are frogs in a pot, aka 'denialists'

.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:40 PM on 03/23/2008

When a country is seeking IMMUNITY from human rights abuses - that itself says something.

This is what the United States did to the U.N. and that should have sent emergency alarms ringing through all the corridors of power in the world. But it didn't.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:10 AM on 03/23/2008

can you imagine these little countries having to find shelter in the German mission in NY to be able to have a discussion without being bugged by the US..!!! and the administration COMPLAINING to the germans at not being able to listen in ?? ..there is no end to this..we will all need psychiatric help to get over this bullshit.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:11 AM on 03/23/2008
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Okay, what's up with this guy with an upside-down question mark in the middle of his name?
Heraldo Mu¿oz? For real? Do we have what you call a transliterator on board?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:33 AM on 03/23/2008

Oh, Lord. That's the reason Bush is President: most Americans are so freaking ignorant. How do you say Spanish in Spanish? Español.
It's not "an upside-down question mark in the middle of his name." It's a letter that doesn't exist in English. It's called an eñe. His surname is Muñoz.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:37 PM on 03/23/2008

If the Democratic Party had a sense of justice and a spine, the criminals Bush and Cheney would be in prison.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:05 AM on 03/23/2008

Statue of Limitations does not runout with the end of the bUSH PRESIDENCE.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:02 AM on 03/23/2008

Canada was the first country to sign on for Afghanistan. Nevertheless, when our Prime Minister refused to support Bush in Iraq, the dimwit cowboy adopted a threatening posture.

I was never a fan of Jean Chretien, but I don't mind admitting I was proud when his communications director referred to Bush as "that moron" publicly and on the record, and Chretien told Bush to shove his threats and his war.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:53 PM on 03/22/2008

revelation is 5 years too late.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:04 AM on 03/23/2008

Never too late.....................the A_hole got many years to live yet

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:04 AM on 03/23/2008
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I would have liked to have seen the people bush was bullying around come out and give press conferences at the time it happened. It's the best way to handle a swine - bring their actions and attitude out into the open.

It also sounds like bush knew he was doing something retarded and that he really really needed to get others to go along with him in order to legitimize his actions. Kind of like a person about to do something so wrong that they feel the need to taint others in order to deflect and spread blame.

Like when some bully forces others in his circle to get some kicks and punches on the victim so no one can say it was just him.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:25 PM on 03/22/2008
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It kind of starts with our education system. Maybe we should spend more time showing our children that there is a big world out there.
I mean it even goes comes down to how the weather as it is shown here. Ever notice that weather only happens in the continental United States? The image shown is that of the US isolated and by itself. Every other country I've visited show their weather in the context of the whole world... Or at least the whole continent.

Sometimes I just get fed up with how ignorant Americans are about what is going on in the rest of the world. A bunch of ignorant Hillbillies quaking in their homes thinking that a little group of Arabs sitting in caves 8000 miles away are going to invade and take us over.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:21 PM on 03/22/2008

I remember the run-up to the UN vote and all the undiplomatic pressure on small countries to participate in the "coalition of the willing". It was unseemly and I could tell that it was causing a lot of damage to our international standing.

I am looking forward to this book, and there also needs to be another book or story written about what financial promises Bush made to small countries to join up. It would be interesting to see a comparison of foreign aid before and after. I am sure he made some incredibly stupid and expensive arrangements to get them to come along.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:08 PM on 03/22/2008

A diplomatic coup for Bush:

Boom goes London, boom Paree.

More room for you and more room for me.

They all hate us anyhow,

let's drop the big one - now.
Randy Newman

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:22 PM on 03/22/2008

So much for the "Coalition of the Willing".

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:10 PM on 03/22/2008

What , you have to read a book to know what happened. Maybe people should have been paying attention when we were talking about going to war. Maybe our media shouldn't have been so in the pocket of the republicans. When the democrats voted to support the president to let the world know that we were serious about getting some accounting for terrorist acts they shouldn't have voted to fund his misuse of the vote. Maybe all of the US patriots shouldn't be so flippant about spending the lives of our soldiers. Maybe we should have some education for the young that if they join the military and we have corrupt officials they could be dead. The list of things that had to happen to have us end up in the mess we are in is long and I am getting sick of hearing from people like Dashel who dropped the ball on their watch. Sorry Kerry, that includes you. Everyone who voted for Bush once or twice should ask forgiveness of every family that lost a child. Are we all crazy or just asleep at the wheel?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:31 PM on 03/22/2008
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don't forget people who voted for bush's loser enablers. Including some democrats

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:19 PM on 03/22/2008
- WMDs I'm a Fan of WMDs permalink

"The UN is irrevalent"
"The UN cut and run"

Followed by a half hearted attempt to ask for help once the UN left Iraq and all other international aid agencies followed suite shortly thereafter. Thats the M.O of this administration, not only did it fail to build a international coalition and consult it allies, It went and very petty backbiting any whom disagreed with its.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:11 PM on 03/22/2008
- ymax I'm a Fan of ymax permalink

Way to go DUMBUYA

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:05 PM on 03/22/2008
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