BACKBONE MISSING

As noted earlier, the French are big on talk but not much on action:

France led the diplomatic charge for the truce in Lebanon, calling for a cease-fire almost immediately. It played a central role in crafting the resolution that would send a UN force of about 15,000 to help the weak Lebanese army control the south and stop arms shipments to Hezbollah.

France, one UN official said, was supposed to be the backbone of the force, leading it and contributing significant numbers of troops.

But then came a splash of cold reality, a bracing reminder about why the words "France" and "backbone" rarely appear in the same sentence. On Thursday, after much diplomatic arm-twisting, France pledged a shockingly paltry 200 more troops, a doubling of its force there.

The inexplicable and inexcusable French retreat threw the military planning into disarray, endangering the fragile truce and discouraging other countries from contributing forces to a vital mission in the Middle East.

There's been plenty of knee-jerk French-bashing in this country since the debate over the Iraq war. Remember the "freedom fries" in the U.S. House cafeteria--a reflection of anger at France for its opposition to the Iraq war? Well, this isn't about fighting a war. It's about fighting for peace.

The French can't expect their diplomatic efforts to be taken seriously if they're not willing to back talk with commitment.

If you're on the same side as the French, you're on the wrong side.