France, Russia hold strong bargaining hands at UN: "As American soldiers began dying in Iraq on a daily basis, and daring terrorist strikes made a mockery of the security situation, even countries originally sympathetic to the US request reassessed their options, offering help only under UN command. Key doubters such as France and Russia, who had checkmated the original American gambit in the UN, are asking for a lot more — such as a complete sharing of responsibility in the running of a UN-sponsored multinational force. These two have also sought a timetable for the framing of a constitution, holding elections and the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty."

France, Russia hold strong bargaining hands at UN: "As American soldiers began dying in Iraq on a daily basis, and daring terrorist strikes made a mockery of the security situation, even countries originally sympathetic to the US request reassessed their options, offering help only under UN command. Key doubters such as France and Russia, who had checkmated the original American gambit in the UN, are asking for a lot more — such as a complete sharing of responsibility in the running of a UN-sponsored multinational force. These two have also sought a timetable for the framing of a constitution, holding elections and the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty."