What’s at issue here is whether the American Defence Department should use American taxpayers’ money to offer American government contracts in Iraq to companies from countries that actively obstructed and continue to obstruct American policy in Iraq. That’s a legitimate national security interest, and no more “illegal” than, say, Belgium’s refusal to sell Britain artillery shells during the Gulf War.
The snubbed Euro-weasels were not as pithy as Mr Bush. But the new Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin, is worth quoting. “This shouldn’t be just about who gets contracts,” he said. “It ought to be about what is the best thing for the people of Iraq.”
Good point. The best thing for the people of Iraq was to get rid of Saddam, and back in the spring Mr Martin didn’t want to be a part of that. The best thing for the people of Iraq, according to Mr Martin and Herr Schroder and M de Villepin, was that Saddam should be allowed to go on killing and torturing them for another decade or three.
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