Book Details U.S. Pressure On Allies Before War
By Colum Lynch, Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS -- In the months leading up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals against friendly countries who withheld their support, spied on its allies, and pressed for the recall of U.N. envoys that resisted U.S. pressure to endorse the war, according to an upcoming book by a top Chilean diplomat.
The rough-and-tumble diplomatic strategy has generated lasting "bitterness" and "deep mistrust" in Washington's relations with allies in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, wrote Heraldo Muñoz, Chile's ambassador to the United Nations, in his book "A Solitary War: A Diplomat's Chronicle of the Iraq War and Its Lessons," set for publication next month.
"In the aftermath of the invasion, allies loyal to the United States were rejected, mocked and even punished" for their refusal to back a U.N. resolution authorizing military action against Saddam Hussein's government, Muñoz wrote.
But the tough talk dissipated as the war effort worsened and President Bush came to reach out to many of the same allies that he had spurned. Muñoz's account suggests the U.S. strategy backfired in Latin America, damaging the administration's standing in a region that has long been dubious of U.S. military intervention.
Muñoz details key roles by Chile and Mexico, the Security Council's two Latin members at the time, in the run-up to the war. Then-U.N. ambassadors Juan Gabriel Valdés of Chile and Adolfo Aguilar Zínser of Mexico helped thwart U.S. and British efforts to rally support among the council's six undecided members for a resolution authorizing the U.S.-led invasion.
The book portrays Bush personally prodding the leaders of those six governments -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Mexico and Pakistan -- to support the war resolution, a strategy aimed at demonstrating broad support for U.S. military plans, despite the looming French threat to veto the resolution.
In the weeks preceding the war, Bush made several appeals to Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and Mexican President Vicente Fox to rein in their diplomats and support U.S. war aims. "We have problems with your ambassador at the U.N.," Bush told Fox at a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Los Cabos, Mexico, in late 2002.
"It's time to bring up the vote, Ricardo. We've had this debate too long," Bush told the Chilean president on March 11, 2003.
"Bush had referred to Lagos by his first name, but as the conversation drew to a close and Lagos refused to support the resolution as it stood, Bush shifted to a cool and aloof 'Mr. President,' " Muñoz wrote. "Next Monday, time is up," Bush told Lagos.
Senior U.S. diplomats sought to thwart a last-minute attempt by Chile to broker a compromise that would delay military action for weeks, providing Iraq with a final shot at demonstrating that it had fully complied with its disarmament requirements.
On March 14, 2003, less than one week before the eventual invasion, Chile hosted a meeting of diplomats from the six undecided governments to discuss its proposal. But U.S. ambassador John D. Negroponte and then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell moved quickly to quash the initiative, warning their governments that the effort was viewed as "an unfriendly act" designed to isolate the United States. The diplomats received calls from their governments ordering them to "leave the meeting immediately," Muñoz writes.
Aguilar-Zínser, who died in 2005, was finally forced out of the Mexican government after publicly accusing the United States of treating Mexico like its "back yard" during the war negotiations. Valdés was transferred to Argentina, where he served as Chile's top envoy, and Muñoz, a Chilean minister and onetime classmate of Condoleezza Rice at the University of Denver, was sent to the United Nations in June 2003 to patch up relations with the United States.
In the days after the invasion, the National Security Council's top Latin American expert, John Maisto, invited Muñoz to the White House to convey the message to Lagos, that his country's position at the United Nations had jeopardized prospects for the speedy Senate ratification of a free-trade pact. "Chile has lost some influence," he said. "President Bush is truly disappointed with Lagos, but he is furious with Fox. With Mexico, the president feels betrayed; with Chile, frustrated and let down."
Muñoz said subsequent ties remained tense at the United Nations, where the United States sought support for resolutions authorizing the occupation of Iraq. He said that small countries met privately in a secure room at the German mission that was impervious to eavesdropping. "It reminded me of a submarine or a giant safe," Muñoz said in an interview.
The United States, he added, expressed "its displeasure" to the German government every time they held a meeting in the secure room. "They couldn't listen to what was going on."
Muñoz said that threats of reprisals were short-lived as Washington quickly found itself reaching out to Chile, Mexico and other countries to support Iraq's messy postwar rehabilitation. It also sought support from Chile on issues such as peacekeeping in Haiti and support for U.S. efforts to drive Syria out of Lebanon. The U.S.-Chilean free trade agreement, while delayed, was finally signed by then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick in June 2003.
Muñoz said that Rice, as secretary of state, called him to ask for help on a U.N. resolution that would press for Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. The United States had secured eight of the nine votes required for adoption of a resolution in the Security Council. Muñoz had received instructions to abstain. "I talked to [Lagos], and he listened to my argument, and we gave them the ninth vote," he said.
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www.VelvetRevolution.us
Comments on WaPo "Book.." article r revealling w/righteous anger
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/22/AR200803...
CommentsOldUncleTom wrote:
vicsoir wrote:
We now know how many DUMB REPUBLICAN VOTERS we had in the 2004 election - 62,040,610. Let's not repeat this sorrowful act of ignorance in the 2008 election.
----
Lest some absolve themselves by putting all the blame on the GOP, let's also remember that John Kerry was about as inspiring as watching my lawn grow. The only worse thing the Democrats could have done in 2004 would have been to put Gerri Ferraro back in the VP slot.
This Administration is a NATIONAL shame; none of us are innocent.
3/22/2008 2:27:27 PM
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Bukkonen wrote:
Further proof that the anti-war crowd was correct all along. Can we get around to putting President Cheney and his crime family on trial now? Preferably with the same court that ordered the hanging of Saddam Hussein. DEFINITELY with the same execution squad once a just verdict is rendered!
3/22/2008 2:22:54 PM
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wethepeople1 wrote:
BEFORE VOTING FOR THIS MAN know just who and what you are voting for... It is now time for Senator John McCain and his implementation of the John Boyden, Esq. plan to "disappear" the Navajo of Arizona, so as to profit from the sale of Coal under their land, to be brought to Justice for criminal violation of the United States own Human Rights Laws, in a pattern of behavior that mirrors that of NAZI GERMANY and it''''s Genocide of the Jews of Europe.. Along with him, officials of the Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs who arranged to embezzle the licensing money paid in by Peabody Western Coal, supposedly for use to help the Navajo, but embezzled anyway, along with officials of the Bureau of Land Management and Mines, who manipulate the wildlife rights of American Indians every year, so as to reduce their number, concentration and ability to prosper by living off the land. In the most BRAZEN coordinated effort of Genocide in History, corrupt public officials are literally murdering the Navajo of Arizona and converting their lives and their lands into instant personal gain, by selling them off under the table to mining industry and the Power Industry. In Arizona, John McCain claims there is a "Range War" going on in the Black Mesa. please go to this site and find out what mcshame is www.Acsa.net/cain2004.org
3/22/2008 2:22:09 PM
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OldUncleTom wrote:
"Coalition of the Willing" was what we heard, because "Coalition of the Willing to be Bribed or Coerced" would not fit on a bumper sticker. I understand the new little countries of "New Europe", they needed the money, but I am embarrassed to know Australia and the UK now. We can save them a seat in the "Hall of Shame".
3/22/2008 2:19:36 PM
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chwurr wrote:
Even today, the "non-willing" (=not successfully blackmailed)European governments remember the arrogant treatment by the Bushies, and can conveniently stay out of any involvement with Iraq with full consent of their voters who hate Bush. Only after Bush is gone there is a chance that they will give any meaningful support to pacify Iraq. Until now, they can just say "we told you so" and take economic advantage of the US being wrecked in all areas by this administration. They don't buy this whole "war on terror" propaganda junk anyway, assuming that it is designed only to fool the American public.
3/22/2008 2:18:15 PM
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vicsoir wrote:
We now know how many DUMB REPUBLICAN VOTERS we had in the 2004 election - 62,040,610. Let's not repeat this sorrowful act of ignorance in the 2008 election.
3/22/2008 2:18:04 PM
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ramos1 wrote:
All along the Administration has been swearing that our allies have willingly backed us in Iraq. If this guy's account is true, then there will be a lot of questions when the book comes out. I hope the media picks up on this.
3/22/2008 2:17:35 PM
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axs1276 wrote:
Small comment for the people supporting Hillary/Obama -
I agree that I will prefer them over Bush or Cheney. But they are both senators and have dont nothing whatsoever to stop Bush despite the fact that they knew all along and they have the strength to do something about it.
Therefore, It doesnt seem they will be much different.
3/22/2008 2:17:16 PM
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mendonsa wrote:
This isnt new news to many who were horrified at the path chosen and the other methods used in 2002 and on... to coerce/browbeat the American people into war (abetted by the msm....except for Knight-Ridder papers). If these people could do it to their own countrymen why is it shattering that they would do it to foreign govts with economic issues of their own? Bravo to those who stood their ground inspite of the pressures (Canada is an another example). True friends who tried to stop the crudity and madness but failed.
3/22/2008 2:14:25 PM
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markomd wrote:
Jackson Browne: Lives in the Balance:
“They sell us the President the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us every thing from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they’re never the ones to fight or to die”
3/22/2008 2:12:21 PM
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OldUncleTom wrote:
An even more compelling reason to evict the GOP from national politics for a while. Come January, the new Administration should open the books on the last Administration to the world, and then get to work on atonement. These are large crimes that we have permitted our outlaw regime to commit, and this country needs to show the world that we are again worthy of respect.
I love this country, but I am ashamed of what we have become, a bunch of sniveling cowards hiding behind a gang of bullies. "Freedom fries" and lapel pins do not define me, or any real patriotic American.
3/22/2008 2:11:22 PM
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ratl wrote:
God help America on the long way back to joining a civilized world under Obama's presidency.
3/22/2008 2:06:59 PM
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ronaldtennillegeorgia1 wrote:
the sad part is that there is a high possibility that mccain just may succeed where this current A$$ leaves off.the worst part about mccain is that he's short tempered and you cannot deal with an irrational man.the war goes on and the economy continues to suffer under mccain.his strong pursuit is foreign affairs and his weak link is the economy.that's why under mccain we will have BUSH III.
3/22/2008 2:06:29 PM
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EricPrentis wrote:
President Bush is not only a well known pathological liar and hypocrite but now is shown to be an extortionist who strong-armed allies into supporting our illegal invasion of Iraq, can President Bush get any smarmier. Can’t guess whether this will be reported on Fox Propaganda News.
3/22/2008 2:06:13 PM
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axs1276 wrote:
Nancy Pelosi, yesterday said that there should be an investigation for the crackdown on Tibetans by Chinese.
Funny, she never thought there should be an investigation on Iraq.
I think they are all equal contributors in this disaster.
3/22/2008 2:02:08 PM
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dshreefer wrote:
Is anyone even remotely surprised by this revelation? Definitive Bush. The big story is, of course, the lie Hillary told about being "under fire" upon her arrival in Bosnia. Pick this story up and send it to every news organization and blogger in the country. Again, it's definitive. As Bill Richardson hinted in his endorsement of Barack Obama - it's time for Hillary Clinton to step aside for the benefit of the party and the nation. And he knows her VERY well.
3/22/2008 2:01:53 PM
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dsrobins wrote:
No American should be surprised at this confirmation that GWBush and his gang of thugs used bully boy tactics to pressure other countries to support his obscene and totally unnecessary war in Iraq. After all, this is classic Bush, behaving like a spoiled child when he can't get his way. Bravo to those countries and diplomats who resisted his bullying. These reports make clear that there is a strong case for sending Bush, Cheney, Powell, Rumsfeld and Rice to The Hague for trial before the International War Crimes Tribunal. What they did in Iraq is no different than what Adolph Hitler did in Poland in 1939.
3/22/2008 1:59:58 PM
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mtskins wrote:
Coalition of the coerced
3/22/2008 1:56:12 PM
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simonleonard wrote:
Do you know what's the most amazing thing about this story? 62,040,610 Americans voted to RE-elect (that's right the word is RE-elect) GWB.
Those of you who RE-elected him and are now complaining should kick themselves. Like a real hard kick. It's not as if the guy landed from another planet. You had 4 long years to evaluate his performance. Nevertheless, 62,040,610 of you thought the man deserved a second term.
I don't blame GWB, I don't blame the media, I blame the majority of American voters. You deserve the government you elected.
3/22/2008 1:53:53 PM
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observer100 wrote:
You can talk and talk, but it won't make any difference. Poor little American rich kid. He thought he didn't need friends...thought he could afford anything. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality...". Well, reality had different ideas, so all your talk is just that. All you'll have left soon will be military strength, so there's trouble ahead, but at least we'll see the rich kid get an education.
3/22/2008 1:51:19 PM
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123456Next Page >Last Page >>
We remember well those horrible days.
Everyone was calling, faxing and e-mailing the member countries on the UN Security Council to urge them to vote against a resolution to allow an attack on Iraq. In the end the Bush regime was unable to gather enough votes to pass the resolution. So our little liar in chief had it withdrawn and attacked anyway.
What we did was far, far worse than what Iraq did to Kuwait but no sanctions were forthcoming. I guess the rest of the world decided to give us enough rope to hang ourselves, which we are proceeding to do. Unfortunately, Iraq and Afghanistan are having to bare the brunt of our criminal administration's self-destruction. And unfortunately, they will take us down with them.
4Peace