the french were also highly critical of the political arrangements put in place by the united states following the war. on april 5, 2003, french foreign minister dominique de villepin was scathing about u.s. plans for reconstruction in postwar iraq. the french foreign minister criticized the united states for the issuing of contracts to u.s. companies. iraq, he said, should not be seen as a "paradise for invaders", or a pie in which all could have a finger. de villepin's statements were made at a joint press conference with the german and russian foreign ministers and are indicative of the atmosphere of anger and suspicion engendered by the war.