What are the French playing at?

All sorts of people in the Anglosphere have been outraged by the behaviour of the French towards the Gulf Crisis. Which is all fine and dandy. But there has been something I don't quite get about it. The thing I don't get is what the hell do they think they are playing at? I mean, just going along with the invasion - sending a division or two - would have been the sensible and easy option to take. It would have been almost a no-lose situation. But instead the French have decided to be obstructive. What wonders do they think they can prevent? Certainly not a war. They must have known that the Americans were in no mood for compromise and were prepared to topple Saddam one way or another.

So, what are they trying to do? The only thing of is to destroy NATO so that they can emerge as the leaders of its European rump. OK, but is such a toothless tiger really worth having? What are they going to do with it exactly? It is the US that has the power and frankly the US is going to take deep enjoyment out of putting a spanner into whatever plans the French cook up over the next couple of decades.

So, there's no real strategic case. Which is odd, because if there isn't why is a sleazeball like Chirac acting the way he is? You would have thought that Chirac of all people would have made the calculation that the Americans are going to win so best to back them. But instead he is backing a strategy that will only do him good in the shortest of short terms.

I can only conclude that the French President and government have gone mad. Their actions are amazingly stupid. I am just glad I don't live there.