And so it begins...

Pentagon adviser: France 'no longer ally' By Martin Walker UPI Chief International Correspondent From the International Desk Published 2/4/2003 3:41 PM WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- France is no longer an ally of the United States and the NATO alliance "must develop a strategy to contain our erstwhile ally or we will not be talking about a NATO alliance" the head of the Pentagon's top advisory board said in Washington Tuesday. Richard Perle, a former assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration and now chairman of the Pentagon's Policy Advisory Board, condemned French and German policy on Iraq in the strongest terms at a public seminar organized by Iraqi exiles and American Middle East and security officials. But while dismissing Germany's refusal to support military action against Iraq as an aberration by "a discredited chancellor," Perle warned that France's attitude was both more dangerous and more serious. "France is no longer the ally it once was," Perle said. And he went on to accuse French President Jacques Chirac of believing "deep in his soul that Saddam Hussein is preferable to any likely successor."

Mon dieu! I once speculated that, if America continues down the road being forged by Bush and company, it is not inconceivable that we could someday end up in a war with the very people we now consider our closest allies. Richard Perle would probably be happy with such a situation.