Stosunki amerykańsko-francuskie w okresie poprzedzającym inwazję USA na Irak (2002–2003)

Abstract

The aim of the article is to provide an insider’s account of the US-French dispute in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. By analysing data from 11 qualitative interviews with U.S. senior officials, the articles attempts to make an assessment of the state of US-French relations before the 2003 Iraq Crisis; analyses the rationale behind and development of the dispute, and finally tries to evaluate whether the confrontation has left a mark on bilateral relations two decades on. The central hypothesis tested in this study is that despite the magnitude of the crisis, it has not impacted the overall trajectory of the US-French relationship.The respondents to this study include senior U.S. foreign policy advisors and policy-makers from the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State who have been directly involved in the preparations to the war in the years 2001–2003.