Prospect of Iraq war divides NATO

Uncertainty over what is going to happen in Iraq has been stealing headlines around the world. The debate heated on Monday when France, Germany, and Belgium failed to support an action within NATO which would have seen troops sent to defend Turkish territory in the event of war. Now the division over what to do in Iraq is ever clearer, with the United States facing opposition at almost every turn. The Czech Republic has promised the United States assistance and the parliament agreed to send an elite anti-chemical unit to Kuwait. However, both the political scene and the public are divided over the necessity of a war against Iraq and the Czech Republic's possible participation in it. Many believe a war in Iraq would not benefit anyone, not even the United States. We spoke to political scientist Petr Pospichal:

"It will of course be bad for everyone, that's the problem. If it was say bad for one and good for another it would be possible to explain it, but that's not the case. It will even be bad for the United States. Its already bad today: in oil and share prices, the instability of the market, and the opinions of political elites in the United States growing more extremist. So its bad already today and it will be bad during and after."