The United States may or may not be going to war with Iraq this month, but it is already at war with France. In case there was any lingering doubt about that, this week saw two developments that brought the erstwhile allies' mutual hostility out into the open.
First, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin traveled to Africa to try to persuade three of the six U.N. Security Council countries still wavering on the war issue not to support Washington if a second resolution is put to the vote. That was hardly the act of a confrere in the great clash of civilizations.
But if we're talking about civilization-defying acts, the Americans have gone Mr. de Villepin one better: Last Tuesday, cafeterias in the U.S. House of Representatives stopped serving French fries and French toast. If you want to boost your cholesterol level on Capitol Hill now, you have to order "freedom fries" and "freedom toast." There was no word on whether you still can, or ever could, order French beans, bread, dressing or mustard or anything a la mode or au jus in the House dining rooms. Nor was it clear whether lawmakers plan to shutter their French windows or refrain from French kisses in the troubled weeks ahead.