alienation news

Rumsfeld: France, Germany are 'problems' in Iraqi conflict

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Wednesday dismissed French and German insistence that "everything must be done to avoid war" with Iraq, saying most European countries stand with the United States in its campaign to force Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to disarm.
"Germany has been a problem, and France has been a problem," said Rumsfeld, a former NATO ambassador. "But you look at vast numbers of other countries in Europe. They're not with France and Germany on this, they're with the United States."
Germany and France represent "old Europe," and NATO's expansion in recent years means "the center of gravity is shifting to the east," Rumsfeld said.
U.N. officials have stressed the report would be an update, not a conclusive determination about any Iraqi weapons programs.
Nevertheless, Secretary of State Colin Powell has told Security Council members that "difficult choices" would follow the report.