Our War With France

"France is not just our annoying ally," asserts Thomas Friedman in this opinion piece for The New York Times. "France is becoming our enemy." By advocating a hasty transfer of power to a symbolic Iraqi sovereignty, France seems bent on US failure in Iraq. If the French government truly wished to see the US succeed in Iraq, Friedman argues, it would use its influence in the European Union to assemble an army and funds to bolster US efforts. Ironically, Friedman says, undermining the US will have disastrous consequences for France. The country hopes to weaken the US so it can assume an equal or superior role in shaping world affairs, he says. But failure in Iraq will primarily serve to strengthen Muslim radicals both in Europe's backyard (the Middle East) and in France itself, which has a sizeable Muslim population. Friedman admits that the French are right on one point, however: "America will not be as effective or legitimate in its effort to rebuild Iraq without French help." He concludes, "Too bad this French government has other priorities." – YaleGlobal