Bush Rattling His Shiny Plastic Sabre…

George Bush's coalition is nothing compared to the one his father put together.
The NATO summit in Prague is over, and seven new NATO members (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania) have breathed with relief that Russia’s ambitions have been conquered (What ambitions? What was inherited from the USSR should be kept at least!). The former Warsaw block has been gradually transformed into the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization, so Americans are satisfied, while Russians have yet another reason to be concerned.

The US President is not happy with this victory, as all his thoughts are devoted to Iraq. The Czech capital, which was praised by Vatslav Havel, did not inspire Bush. Iraq is more important. At the summit, the US president tried to persuade his NATO colleagues to participate in the Iraqi campaign. As a result, he received a nice compliment from one of his colleagues, Mrs Ducraut, the Canadian Prime Minister’s chief adviser. The angry Canadian called the US president an “idiot.” She explained it simply: the Prague summit was meant to invite new members into the alliance, while the US president could only talk about war with Iraq.

However, Bush was not stopped by these words (however, his list of enemies is longer: once, Bush was compared by a German official with Hitler, and now the Canadians openly call him an idiot). However, Bush vindicated himself by remembering the reason why he travelled to Prague. Too late, but he understood it in Lithuania. While appearing Saturday on a Vilnus square and addressing to thousands of the Lithuania capital citizens, Bush said that the alliance is ready to protect its members. “He who chooses Lithuania as an enemy will also be the enemy of the US. ” – Bush said. – “Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will never fight alone in the face of aggression.”

However, let’s return to Bush’s favorite subject: war against Iraq. The “coalition of will,” which is being put together by Bush for his planned war is very small in comparison to the large coalition that was put together by his father to fight the Gulf War. This time, America will focus on the basic players and logistics, neglecting PR.

This means that in addition to Britain, and perhaps Australia, the US will focus on receiving what it considers essential for the war. The question is Turkey: its military bases and political support are very important

As for other countries, Bush isn’t doing so well selling his war. According to the Quatar TV channel Al-Jazeera, Egypt has rejected US demands to participate in the anti-Iraq coalition headed by the US, even if Iraq does not cooperate with the UN weapon inspectors. The Al-Jazeera correspondent to Cairo said that the US foreign ministry demanded from Egypt an answer within a month. in the coalition.

Sources in Egypt said that in two days, Cairo will officially reject the US demand. The Al-Jazeera corresponded also informed that 11 Arab countries were also asked for war support by Washington.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva