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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030312/pl_nm/iraq_usa_rumsfeld_dc Politics Wed Mar 12, 2003 Rumsfeld 'Loose Cannon' as U.S. Woos Allies on Iraq By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, known for using sharp words about foes and friends alike, is doing U.S. foreign policy more harm than good with comments alienating key allies, analysts said. Rumsfeld's suggestion on Tuesday the United States might wage war on Iraq without British military participation stirred anger in Britain, Washington's closest ally on Iraq, as the two countries struggle to win international support for possible military action against Baghdad. Rumsfeld had caused headaches for the Bush administration on domestic matters as well, said critics, pointing to comments he made in January that offended some veterans' groups, and his tense relations with many senior U.S. military officers and some members of Congress. "He's his own worst enemy," said Lawrence Korb, the former assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration. Korb, with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said it would be wise for Rumsfeld to be more careful about his remarks in the interest of protecting U.S. policy goals. "One of the concerns is that he often oversteps his bounds and comments on diplomatic issues rather than military issues, and that he moves into the realm of State Department affairs," added Peter Singer of the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington. "His comments you certainly could characterize as being that of a loose cannon," Singer said. "He's a forceful, almost cranky, personality who seems to delight in the press coverage that he's gotten." Some analysts called Rumsfeld's bluntness refreshing. "I rather like it. I'm a fan of his, and I like the idea that he speaks his mind. I think that's good," said Harlan Ullman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. "Rumsfeld has things to say. And anybody who has things to say and is intelligent should be listened to and not dismissed out of hand," Ullman added. Rumsfeld was unapologetic at a Pentagon briefing last month when asked about criticism his comments had not helped the United States sway countries to its views on Iraq. "I think if one goes back and looks at the precise words that I've used," he said, "they are what they are." 'OLD EUROPE' During a briefing with foreign journalists in Washington on Jan. 22, Rumsfeld was asked by a reporter for Dutch public television about public opposition in Europe to an Iraq war. "Now, you're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe," Rumsfeld said in remarks that provoked criticism in those longtime American allies. Rumsfeld added that "vast numbers of other countries in Europe" supported U.S. policy on Iraq and that "the center of gravity" within NATO was shifting to the former Soviet-bloc states in Eastern Europe. The next day, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer suggested Rumsfeld "cool down." On Feb. 5, Rumsfeld irritated the German government again when he told Congress that Germany joined Libya and Cuba as nations refusing to play a role in a war against Iraq. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, a strong supporter of Washington's Iraq policy, said he told President Bush he wanted to hear "a lot" from Secretary of State Colin Powell and "not much" from Rumsfeld." "Ministers of defense should talk less, shouldn't they?" Aznar suggested. Asked by reporters if he would follow Aznar's advice, Rumsfeld said, "I haven't heard it from the president." Dana Allin, an expert in transatlantic relations with the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in London, said some of Rumsfeld's remarks seemed "flippant." "Particularly the concept of an old versus new Europe I think is very pernicious. I don't really know what Secretary Rumsfeld thinks, but I think there is in this administration a degree of contempt for what Europe is and what Europe has achieved," Allin added. Korb said it was counterproductive to make such comments about France and Germany, whose support will be needed in many areas such as sharing intelligence on alleged terrorists and targeting their financial assets. Four hours after Rumsfeld's comments about Britain on Tuesday, the Pentagon issued a written statement in which he clarified the record, saying there was "every reason to believe there will be a significant military contribution from the United Kingdom." The White House on Wednesday was trying to fix strained relations with London. "It almost seems like he's got a list of countries he has yet to offend. And Britain was the latest that he's sort of checked off," Singer said. _________________ http://lmno4p.org ===== LMNOP http://lmno4p.org "No War for Oil!" __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online http://webhosting.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
