In addition to posting back-logged news stories over the next few days in a series of three to five news updates, there are several stories that are worth reporting on in targeted analytical posts. This will be the first of at least three such posts.
I've found it fairly fascinating over the last couple of years to watch politics in the international community. Most Americans pay at least passing attention to American politics, but very little attention is paid by most to international politics. I'm not claiming to be some expert or something, but I notice things from time to time.
One example applies to the international community in general, and Europe specifically. The major issue in the world today is terrorism: specifically, Islamofascism versus Western/developed nations. The nexus of that fight is Iraq, and it's been interesting to watch how the policies of various governments has influenced their political success. Here are a few examples.
Japan: In a highly controversial move, the government of
Junichiro Koizumi deployed troops to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A Liberal Democrat, he was soundly reelected in 2005 and stepped down in September of this year.
Australia: Prime Minister
John Howard, a Liberal leading a coalition government with Australia's conservative party, has been an ardent coalition partner every step of the way in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He was reelected to a fourth term in office in October of 2004.
Kazakhstan: The government of
Borat Sagdiyev... Just kidding!
Spain: The government of
Jose Maria Aznar lost the March 2004 election, primarily as a result of public misconceptions about the 3/11 Madrid transit bombings (more information can be found in chapter six of
Shadow War by Richard Miniter). As a result, Aznar's opponent withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq.
United Kingdom: Prime Minister
Tony Blair, a left-leaning centrist in the British Labour Party, made history by becoming the first Labour prime minister to win three successive general elections. Following the invasion of Iraq, although his party lost some of their seats, their majority was maintained. Blair, of course, was President Bush's primary partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Poland: President
Aleksander Kwasniewski deployed Polish troops to Iraq. Limited to two terms (I think), Kwasniewski's party lost the 2005 election.
Ukraine: President
Leonid Kuchma sent Ukrainian troops to Iraq. His chosen successor,
Viktor Yanukovych, was soundly defeated by
Viktor Yushchenko in the 2004 "Orange Revolution"; Iraq played a miniscule role in the election.
Denmark: Liberal Prime Minister
Anders Rasmussen was reelected in 2005; his government deployed troops to Iraq, and his nation was the site of the international fiasco over editorial cartoons maligning Mohammed.
The Netherlands: Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has been the Dutch PM since 2002, during which time he has been the head of several ill-fated coalition governments. Balkenende's government sent Dutch forces to Iraq, though they have since completed their deployments and returned to Holland. In spite of
allegations of abuse leveled against Dutch troops during their Iraq deployment, the Balkenende government is expected to win reelection. The Dutch government is also pushing for a
ban on public burqa wear.
Italy:
Silvio Berlusconi narrowly lost the Italian general election in May of 2006. His government sent troops to Iraq.
And those who opposed the war, for various reasons?
Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin, former KGB-agent and always controversial, opposed the Iraq War. There are indications that he may not run for a third term in office.
France: President Jacques Chirac's Conservative party is facing a bitter upcoming election against Socialist candidate
Segolene Royal. Chirac's economic and diplomatic policies have drawn strong criticism from the French public, and Royal has a very real chance of winning the election.
Germany: Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was narrowly defeated by now-Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose center-right coalition is bringing dignity and economic sensibility back to my proud homeland.
The bottom line, at least at the point in time when I'm writing this, is that national leaders who opposed the Iraq War have in some cases met with poor results at the hands of the electorate, although the influence that Iraq played in that treatment was not necessarily conclusive. On the flipside, Western governments that supported and participated in the invasion of Iraq have seen success in the polls in most cases. Just food for thought.
In my next targeted news post, I'll discuss the declining pacifism of Japan and Germany, analyze its historical context, and consider what it might say about our current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
