The Iraqi crisis has been a concern on several « fronts » : Iraq and its leaders, the Security Council, the Atlantic Alliance and Europe, which has been divided into two conflicting sides. On the one hand, there was France and Germany, and on the other hand, Great Britain and Spain, supported, notably, by Italy and Poland. The causes for that crisis have themselves been multiple and form-changing: terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and regime change in Baghdad have been the three (...)  lire suite

During the Iraqi crisis, the contradictions of the American diplomacy were numerous, obvious and increasing. The various doctrines (Rogue States, preventive war...) presented a low level or argumentation. Above all, the Iraqi threat was so exaggerated that US weakened both the UN and NATO and paradoxically favored dissensions and disputes between allies (including Turkey) and reinforced anti-Americanism in the world. Unfortunately, the evolution of the political situation in Iraq after the (...)  lire suite

The Iraqi crisis in 2002-2003 is a founding crisis, after the turning point on 9/11. It has deeply modified international relations and divided the UN, NATO and EU. A « peace camp » has formed around a rather unexpected axis: Paris-Berlin-Moscow. France was its spokesman in the UN and a diplomatic trial of strength has vividly opposed it against the United States. The question is to know whether it is a tactical alliance, or a lasting strategy. The newly vigorous French-German couple means (...)  lire suite

The Franco-German couple has established itself as a serious actor on the international scene, before the Anglo-American intervention in Iraq, as well as during the debate that took place about its reconstruction. France and Germany have always wanted the UN to keep a central role. This position represented, for both governments, the only way to guarantee the respect of international law, to endow the intervention with the necessary legitimacy, and also to keep a hold over the situation. (...)  lire suite

The United Nations (UN) were born from a weird union between empire and law. After the League of Nations’ failure, the USA created the UN to extend their democratic principles to the international area. Here lies the UN’s hidden problem. The UN has succeeded in being one of the great promoters of world democracy. To-day the UN is an almost universal forum which; incrementally, and with many mistakes and setbacks, has disciplined state sovereignty, by slowly building up what can be called (...)  lire suite

In the Operation Iraqi Freedom - OIF (March 19, May 1st 2003) - the U.S. armed forces made a real achievement in warfighting. The right combination of the well known aerospace power and the new « indirect approach » practiced by the land component demonstrates an unequalled degree of flexibility and organization at the joint level of war, even though the Iraqi regime failed to build an effective defence in an exhausted society. Actually, after a 25-year-or-so build-up of military (...)  lire suite

All the French television and radio media came under careful scrutiny in March and April 2003, especially regarding their coverage of the Iraqi war led by the Anglo-American coalition. The French-speaking TV channel TV5 distinguished itself from the other media for its original stand and its endeavour to give a clear information. Partly because it is an international channel, it makes a complex and thorough analysis of the news, taking into account the great diversity of its viewers. (...)  lire suite

Despite « the end of major operations » announced on May 1st, 2003, by the US president, the occupation forces in Iraq have to face numerous difficulties, and a resistance that is attempting to organise itself. To reduce or beat these difficulties, the United States and Great Britain must make the Security Council adopt resolutions which, as they hope, would give the occupation a licit cover, palliating the absence of an authorisation to use force. Nevertheless, achieving the announced (...)  lire suite

The Iraqi crisis from September 2002 to March 2003, and its aftermath, is the result of the impossible settlement of the after-Gulf War, as well as the dead ends of the disarmament process and the humanitarian aspects of UN action in Iraq. This crisis also reflects a new form of American supremacy on the international stage. In September 2002, confronted to these blockades of the Iraq dossier at the UN and to the strengthening of Saddam Hussein’s power, the United States wanted to force the (...)  lire suite