January 21, 2003
Bush War Plans Ambushed
Did worldwide anti war demonstrations this past freezing weekend affect the political process? In the US the politicians are determined that the will of the people will not affect them. But who knows?According to the Washington Post, France has hardened its stand against Bush's war plans, attempting to rally other countries to its cause and threatening to use its veto power to prevent the pro-war resolution the Bush administration seeks. The Post calls it "a diplomatic version of ambush."
The article says France's opposition is a major blow to the Bush administration, which has been sending tens of thousands of troops into the region in preparation for war in the spring. But France, Germany, Russia and China say they are willing to let the inspections go on for months.
Worldwide political dynamics in the information age are playing out in novel ways that blunt the overwhelming military superiority of the US, which the Bush administration has been flaunting more aggressively than ever in history. According to the Post, "Rising opposition to war, particularly in France, appears to have played a role in the hardening positions on the Security Council. Foreign officials are also aware of polls in the United States suggesting that support for a war drops dramatically if the Bush administration does not have U.N. approval."