Behind the Rhetoric of World Reaction

In the world of diplomacy, things are not always as they seem. As Iraqis counted casualties, assessed damage and faced another round of strikes on Thursday, the U.S. found support and criticism in familiar places. Britain, Germany and Canada backed the U.S.-led action. The Arab League condemned the attacks. Security Council members Russia and China angrily denounced the U.S.for going over the U.N.'s head, and France chimed in as well. But while the French government deplored "the grave human consequences" of the military action, it also noted the Iraqi leaders' inability "to show proof of the spirit of complete cooperation."

The carefully calibrated French reaction is significant, notes TIME Paris bureau chief Thomas Sancton. "What may be little known is that President Clinton and French president Chirac have consulted regularly and at length on the phone as the Iraqi crisis has unfolded in the past few months." As a result of these close consultations, the two countries have been able to play a good-cop, bad-cop role with Saddam that's allowed the French to give "friendly advice" to Saddam -- backed by the U.S. military. That kind of cooperation has averted strikes in the past. While the French are espousing dissatisfaction with U.S. bombings, says Sancton:"They're not going to make a big deal of it, since they agree Saddam is the culprit."