- WASHINGTON -- Revenge must
be very sweet, considering the hard-nosed approach the Bush administration
takes toward those who opposed the president's decision to invade Iraq.
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- President Bush's personal grudge against several nations
is still obvious, including France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Canada, Mexico
and Chile.
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- There was a period in the lead-up to the war when White
House press secretary Ari Fleischer made it clear that the president wasn't
accepting telephone calls from some of the leaders who had rebuffed him
on the question of going to war.
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- France especially remains in the U.S. doghouse. French
diplomats have complained about rumors that they had given visas to fleeing
Iraqi leaders. Not so, said the French in a vigorous denial.
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- Even more sinister, Secretary of State Colin Powell --
in an uncharacteristic role as the godfather-enforcer for the administration
-- has been lecturing straying nations that they will be punished for their
stand against the war. As he puts it, they will suffer the "consequences."
The exact penalties are never spelled out but the ominous threat is left
hanging.
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- Some diplomacy!
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- German leader Gerhard Schroeder felt the sting when he
sought a one-on-one meeting with Bush at the G-8 Economic Summit in Evian,
France, next week only to be informed that there "won't be time."
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- Bush cancelled a May 5 visit to Canada to display his
displeasure with Prime Minister Jean Chretien's stand on the war.
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- Relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which
had been friendly and close, turned sour temporarily after Russia opposed
the war. The Bush administration made a big show of slowing down its efforts
to persuade Congress to repeal the 1974 Jackson-Vanik law. Repeal of the
law, which ties trade to an easing of Russian emigration, has been a long-sought
goal of Russia.
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- More recently Putin has written to Bush seeking cooperation
"at all levels."
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- Turkey wound up on the hit list when the Turkish people
rebelled against U.S. wishes and denied use of their soil for U.S. forces
to attack Iraq.
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- Chile, which also opposed the war, paid a price when
Bush delayed signing the long-sought free trade agreement. The U.S. trade
representative now will ink the pact June 6 in Miami.
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- Meantime, the United States and Britain have taken control
of Iraq's economy and its oil fields. The Bush administration gave contracts
to Halliburton -- Vice President Cheney's old company -- and to Bechtel
-- where former Secretary of State George Shultz is on the board -- without
competitive bidding.
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- The United Nations will be given minimal authority in
the reconstruction and economic revival.
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- Powell was in Paris recently for a meeting with seven
foreign ministers of the Western industrialized states to make preparations
for the upcoming G-8 summit.
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- Asked by reporters whether the United States intended
to punish the French, Powell replied, "No," but added a chilling
observation:
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- "You take note of those who disagree with you, and
you try to find out why and if it is appropriate to draw some conclusions.
And consequences follow those conclusions."
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- Rumors that Bush planned to stay at a hotel in nearby
Switzerland in order to snub his French host, President Jacques Chirac,
were denied.
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- Pentagon officials said they were reviewing plans for
joint military exercises with France and other countries "in the light
of changed circumstances." One spokesman confirmed that the French
would not be invited to the so-called "Red Flag" Air Force exercise
in Nevada next year.
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- All of this makes the United States look pretty petty.
The Bush administration is demanding an oath of unquestioning loyalty from
its allies. Those that fail to toe the line now must seek forgiveness on
bended knee.
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- The Bush administration has treated the United Nations
in the same autocratic way.
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- Is everyone supposed to march in lockstep with the United
States?
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- While the accent is on punishment of those who dare to
disagree, the leaders of friendly nations get the full charm treatment.
They may be invited to a White House state dinner or to the president's
ranch in Crawford, Texas, where nearly a dozen world leaders have been
hosted as a symbol of presidential appreciation that they are loyal members
of the team.
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- Bush would do better on the international stage if he
would mend relations with old and trusted friends, instead of alienating
and isolating them as he now seems bent on doing. The world would be better
off.
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- Helen Thomas is a columnist for Hearst Newspapers.
- Email: <mailto:helent@hearstdc.com>helent@hearstdc.com.
- Copyright 2003 Hearst Newspapers.
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