The “diplomatic failure” that wasn’t

Max Boot provides some much-needed perspective on the diplomatic wrangling that preceded the war and what to expect afterwards. Boot sensibly does not fault President Bush for the problems with France and Germany. He is critical of Bush’s handling of Turkey, but believes that this failure has been partially offset by Bush’s litte-noted success with Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan. As Boot astutely puts it, “the very thing that has alienated much of Europe — Bush’s steely resolve — has been important in bringing the Arabs on board. After a decade of dithering, they wanted assurance that this U.S. president was serious about finishing Saddam Hussein this time.”