Certainly I feel that mycomment is justified, although perhaps 'xenophobic hysteria' would have been better phrased. Incidentally I don't know whether Peter knows, but Congressman Pete King, a major player in this story, is a notorious IRA supporter, so God knows what view on morality he brings to the play. At least I suppose he knows what he is talking about when he condems international terrorism.
In answer to Peter's question however, it's pretty simple, of course I condemn Jacques Chirac's outburst. Why wouldn't I? Chirac's a typical right-wing nationalist politician whose views seem to me to be pretty much like many British Conservatives. I think he has the right view on Bush's plan to attack and occupy Iraq, i.e. it's wrong, but I don't agree with him on everything or even most things.
Peter also quotes David Frum (an ex-Bush scriptwriter who for some reason is now seen as a political authority) as saying he read Jacques Chirac's outburst as 'waging economic war' on US allies. I think he has a case, but I don't understand how he can think that. David Frum, like Peter Cuthbertson, believes the EU is an economic sloth heading for disaster. Refusing to let someone join it can't be 'economic warfare' in their eyes, it can only be economic liberation.
posted by Matthew @ 2/18/2003 08:35:00 PM
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