The predictable members of the blogosphere are getting their stockings in a bunch because the French want a role in the rebuilding of Iraq.
The thing is rebuilding Iraq may well be the booby prize that we really don’t want. Conquering Iraq is the relatively easy part and while we will see more casualties, they might pale in comparison to a prolonged or botched occupation. I have no desire to fight a guerilla war in Southwest Asia–especially against Islamists.
I hope we allow the UN to come in and bear some of the monetary costs as well as burden the peace keeping tasks which after a while inevitably turn into tension.
I’m not really upset if France gets excluded, but let’s not get in a pique as Lieberman has.