McCain attacked our allies as "vacuous and posturing" for opposing war in Iraq. "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said that "Iraq is the test" of both the U.N. and NATO. He charged that the alliance is failing the test because of the "flawed calculations" and "vacuous posturing" of Germany and France. McCain and Rumsfeld both said that recent French and German foot-dragging over even discussing the possible deployment of NATO assets, such as Patriot anti-missile batteries, to Turkey also threatened to damage the alliance." [Washington Post, 2/9/03]
John McCain engaged in the anti-French bashing of the far right because they opposed the invasion of the war. "The Lord said the poor will always be with us, and the French will be with us, too," said McCain, a member of the Armed Services Committee. "This is part of a continuing French practice of throwing sand in the gears of the Atlantic alliance. But now they're playing a dangerous game, and coming close to rendering themselves irrelevant." A few days later he even said that, "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) likened France to an aging '40s starlet "still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn't have the face for it." [NY Times, 2/14/03. NY Daily News, 2/17/03]
McCain attacked Germany for opposing the war - saying they lacked "political courage." McCain said that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder "looks little like the ally that anchored our presence in Europe throughout the Cold War...A German Rip Van Winkle from the 1960s would not understand the lack of political courage and cooperation with its allies on the question of Iraq exhibited in Berlin today." [Washington Times, 2/14/03]
On the war path, McCain said didn't care if invading Iraq damaged UN, thought Iraq would prove UN to be irrelevant. "If war is necessary, the United States will not 'be going it alone,' he said, but will wage war in Iraq with a coalition of allies - with or without the blessing of the United Nations. 'The problem here is not whether we do damage to the United Nations if we have to take military action,' he said. 'The question is, will the United Nations follow the League of Nations and risk irrelevancy.'" [Washington Times, 2/14/03]
McCain dismissed interests of French and Russians over invasion, said they were just based on commercial concerns. McCain said that "The French and Russians are putting their "commercial interests above international law, world peace and the political ideals of Western civilization." [Washington Times, 2/14/03]
At German security conference in the run up to the war McCain echoed Rumsfeld's notorious attacks on our European allies. "Rumsfeld has made headlines across Europe in recent weeks for a series of barbs at those who oppose U.S. policy." McCain clearly echoed Rumsfeld's statements, "McCain accused the Germans and French of "calculated self-interest" and "vacuous posturing" that left NATO with a "terrible injury." German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Germany would support its ally Turkey, but the question was one of timing. Both German and French officials have said that such a vote is tantamount to admitting war's inevitability. The conference's most emotional moment came from Fischer...he told how three times he had led the charge for German troops to be deployed: in Kosovo, Macedonia and Afghanistan...His voice rising, and beginning to speak in English, he addressed Rumsfeld directly: 'My generation learned you must make a case and, excuse me, I am not convinced.' Rumsfeld sat against the wall, sipping water and watching without expression. Much was said at the meeting about the strident tone of U.S.-European discussions." [Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/9/03]
McCain rejected calls to get more international troops on the ground in Iraq. McCain said, "I think that the only military presence required right now would be American and British."
The old mad dog is not aware of the fact that the UK is also a member-state of the European Union.
Well, we have to await the full scale "Shock and Awe" from the USA, if the next idiot becomes elected.
