The Folly of Unilateralism

We now get to suffer the folly of unilateralism.

Since we failed to convince our allies that terrorism is an equal threat to everywhere in the developed world prior to going into Afghanistan, and sure the heck didn't do it prior to the previously irrelevant Iraq, those who came with us to Iraq were there for one reason only: to favor the US, a sentiment which does not go deep.

Spain did not throw out Anzar because he went into Iraq, they threw him out because he went into Iraq using our lies about WMD and Saddam's connection to 9/11 -- not by convincing the people that Islamic terrorism is a dogma which threatens all other ideologies. The people were reminded of Anzar's dishonesty-by-association in the wake of the Madrid bombings; and out he goes, replaced by a government who saw that Iraq didn't matter a year ago, although it sure as hell matters now, and believes the US is not to be trusted to manage it, demanding a UN command.

But more important for Bush's campaign this fall will be the many smaller countries who look on in horror at the bombings in Madrid. They have the luxury of an option to pull out RIGHT NOW, without the sting which would come if they waited until after an Al Qaeda bombing in their own country. They can claim that they expected a UN command after the war, and none is coming, so they will leave until one is in place.

Parthian shot: Tony Blair's government has got to be losing popularity over Iraq -- how long can it survive? If Blair is brought down, that will hurt Bush here.