There's a bush, let's dance around it.

[Billyman]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1084093,00.html

FRENCH U-TURN ON IRAQ WAR

France has announced it could assist any US-led military coalition if Iraq uses chemical and biological weapons.

The turnaround comes after strong French opposition to a war in Iraq, including threats to veto a UN Security Council resolution paving the way for armed conflict.

French ambassador Jean-David Levitte said: "If Saddam Hussein were to use chemical and biological weapons, this would change the situation completely and immediately for the French government."

Mr Levitte said a decision on any French participation in the war would be made by French President Jacques Chirac, if and when biological or chemical weapons were used.

Although he declined to give details on the possible shape of French participation, Levitte said, "We have equipment to fight in these circumstances."
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Oh, NOW they see a potential danger. They had no idea before. Heh. :rolleyes:

[simiantics]

I wouldn't call that a u-turn so much as being politic. I don't think that they'll end up getting all that involved.

edit: with the way I've seen French people drive, pulling a u-turn would probably be a much larger threat than them fighting in the war.

[zim]

Hrmn, so basically they're saying, "If we were completely wrong and kept the world at risk due to our own stubbornness, then we'll help fight Sadaam, once he has finished using all of his weapons of mass destruction on American, Brittish, and coalition forces."

[simiantics]

You forgot "We don't want you to hold this shit over our head in the UN when we want something done."

[Jenny]

Originally posted by simiantics
You forgot "We don't want you to hold this shit over our head in the UN when we want something done."

How about "We built a nuclear reactor for Saddam, even though we knew some of the equipment we sold him was to make enriched uranium for atomic bombs, and had no use in a reactor. We also sold him the technology he needed to actually build the damn things, then when the Israelis destroyed the reactor and equipment, he shipped the salvageable parts to us to repair, which we did. Then the Israelis blew it up again, and during the Gulf War that whole thing became a big crater in the sand. That was a lot of work, assholes, and cost us a big contract. So now we fart in your general direction, English pig-dogs."

I think that's the "message" the French are trying to send to the world. But that's only a guess, based on 20 years of the history of France and Iraq.

[Cruise Director]

Would the US unleash these kinds of weapons and blame Iraq just to gain support? We've done worse.

[Jenny]

Hey, let's burn our own Reichstag and blame the Commies. That trick always works.

(I don't think the US is going to do anything of the sort. There are too many observers around; journalists, other country's troops, etc.)

[Koliedrus]

And look how it petered into oblivion.