Excerpts of editorials from newspapers around the world:
Der Tagesspiegel
Is Iraq Bush’s Vietnam?
BERLIN — Like with every historical analogy, there are obvious objections to this one: The Vietnam War lasted 18 years and cost 58,000 American soldiers their lives. Those are other dimensions. Besides, the Americans can still assume that a silent majority of Iraqis are happy about the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. There is no extensive rebellion against the occupiers.
Another less flattering comparison applies: Iraq is [President] Bush’s Lebanon. When Israel’s troops marched to Beirut in 1982, they succeeded in expelling the PLO. Yet the overall record turned out to be negative. The PLO reorganized itself, Hezbollah solidified, the hostility against Israel intensified, and in the end, the troops withdrew helter-skelter, worn down by the daily skirmishes.
More and more, the doubts gnaw at many Americans. Was it wrong after all? That’s the fundamental question that no one can evade. Would it have been better for the world if the dictator still sat in power in Baghdad, able to bully his people and freely fill his mass graves? Perhaps one has to answer in the affirmative.
Khaleej Times
French oppose Turkey in EU
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — And we had all thought Turkey was all set for its grand entry into the elite club of European Union. If France has its way, the European Union doors will not be opened for Turkey as it has failed to “meet the requisite political criteria.”
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told the French parliament that France would oppose Turkey’s candidature since it did not respect the EU conditions [on democracy and rights]. Mr. Barnier’s remarks, less than a week after his appointment, come at a critical juncture as the world tries to persuade Greek- and Turkish-Cypriots to accept a United Nations power-sharing plan that envisages Greek- and Turkish-Cypriots reuniting in a loose federal state. Turkey’s reformist government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has gone out of its way to agree to the Cyprus deal, partly in the hope of joining EU. France’s stance may only strengthen hard-liners in Turkey, including the Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, who has been fiercely opposing a deal on Cyprus. The French attitude will also raise fears among Turks that they have been duped into accepting a raw deal on Cyprus without even being accepted in the EU. The development is unfortunate since Turkey would have been the first Muslim country to join the EU. Until now, Cyprus was viewed as the last impediment to Turkey’s EU ambitions.
Turkey’s entry in EU — if not obstructed by the spoilers like France — would contribute a great deal to bringing the West and Muslims closer.
Times
Preparing the Athens Olympics
LONDON —The Olympics in Athens this summer were always going to be a difficult enterprise. The city was selected for the 2004 Games in part out of guilt that it had been rejected in favor of Atlanta for the centenary event in 1996, more than absolute confidence that it could manage efficiently. …
As we report today, the worst-case scenario is very bad. Delays in construction threaten to compromise safety and security. Of the 39 major building projects, 15 have been completed, nine are running to time and 15 more are behind schedule. This latter group includes some of the most important venues, including the main Olympic stadium, which has been plagued by problems ranging from the roof installation to the discovery of archaeological artifacts in the area that was supposed to be the main [parking lot]. … The biggest worry, nonetheless, is that the inevitable rush job will lead to corners being cut on security measures. …
The games should and must go on. The authorities in Athens would be well advised, however, to look for more assistance from abroad to ensure that they meet the … security challenges.
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