Yesterday we learned that the Bush administration, desperate to show the world that it never learns from its mistakes, was prohibiting French, German, and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq. The Pentagon argued that barring these countries from participating was part of an effort to protect “the essential security interests of the United States,” though no one could exactly explain why.
On its face, this is breathtakingly dumb. The Bush administration did its best to bully and intimidate our traditional (pre-2001) allies before the war, straining relationships that were, up until recently, key strategic alliances. Now that we’re struggling in Iraq and the need for international cooperation has never been higher, the White House has gone out of its way to thumb its nose at three powerful nations. It’s as if the administration has never even heard of “diplomacy.” Or, for that matter, common sense.
The Center for American Progress’ Gayle Smith accurately summarized the move as having “increased the cost to Americans, weakened the traditional alliances America needs to defeat terrorism, and undermined Iraq’s long-term future.”
“Some will argue that it is both logical and fair that the $18 billion provided by the U.S. to rebuild Iraq should benefit only those nations who supported the U.S. intervention,” Smith said. “But this argument holds only if the frame of reference is the past and the goal is payback. Looking forward and assuming a grander mission, the Pentagon’s latest directive will do more harm to America than to any of the countries that have been so tactlessly excluded.”
Oddly enough, that’s not even the best part of this debacle.
Less than a day after Bush’s Defense Department announced the directive against France, Germany, and Russia, Bush personally called the leaders of these three nations to — you guessed it — seek financial help for Iraq.
As the New York Times reported today, Bush “found himself in the awkward position on Wednesday of calling the leaders of France, Germany and Russia to ask them to forgive Iraq’s debts, just a day after the Pentagon excluded those countries and others from $18 billion in American-financed Iraqi reconstruction projects.”
Yes, I can see how that might be awkward, asking for financial assistance from the same people you just publicly flipped off.
Here’s my favorite part of the Times report: “Several of Mr. Bush’s aides said they feared that the [Pentagon’s announcement] would undercut White House efforts to repair relations with allies who had opposed the invasion of Iraq.”
Ya think?
Perhaps the only thing dummer than the administration’s move against France, Germany, and Russia is its explanation as to how this happened.
On the one hand, the Times article explained, the White House said it was “surprised by both the timing and the blunt wording of the Pentagon’s declaration.” Bush aides were also reportedly “fuming about…the tone of the Pentagon’s directive.”
On the other hand, those same White House officials acknowledged that the president had approved the move to bar France, Germany, and Russia from competing for Iraqi contracts. Indeed, as the Times noted, the White House signed off on the policy “after a committee of deputies from a number of departments and the National Security Council agreed that the most lucrative contracts must be reserved for political or military supporters.”
I was going to mock the White House for the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, but in reality, this is even worse. The White House endorsed the Pentagon’s move, but planned all the while to ask the excluded countries for more financial support. Apparently, Bush was more upset about the “tone” of the Pentagon’s statement than the substance.
Naturally, the announcement that we’re excluding these countries hasn’t gone over very well. Russia has announced that it has “ruled out” any debt write off for Iraq; Canada said it won’t be contributing any more money for reconstruction in Iraq, and Germany said the U.S. move “would not be acceptable for the German government.”
Remember, Bush, Rove, and Co. are the folks who are supposed to be great at foreign policy.