Chirac Blasts U.S.-Led Invasion of Iraq

The French president told a group of ambassadors that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq had destabilized the Middle East and allowed terrorism to spread—just as he had predicted on the eve of the war in 2003.

Washington Post:

PARIS—President Jacques Chirac gave a tough critique Friday of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and its fallout, saying the war destabilized the entire Middle East and allowed terrorism to spread.

In a speech to ambassadors, Chirac also renewed his call for an international conference on the Middle East, saying he was deeply concerned by the growing number of crises there.

“At Europe’s gate, the Middle East has become an epicenter of international tensions,” Chirac said. “Crises are building up and spreading.”

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