2. France (sorry Marseil) has been the wimp of Europe since forever. They never stand up to or for anything if fighting is required. They would rather appease a tyrant than resist him. As for Germany, I have communicated with some folks in Germany who have explained that the shame and destruction of WWII left such a scar upon them that there is very little interest in anything military.
3. Not the way I heard it: The ease with which the U.S. military stormed into Baghdad was part of the plan to lure Americans and anyone who aided them into the killing field. It wasn't because the Iraqi military gave up (though they had to know they would lose a conventional battle). Rather, it was allowed them to fight a guerilla war against US/Coalition forces, which afforded them better opportunity to inflict on-going damages on us.
(Note how they fighting in Iraq continued. Had our opponents wanted us out of Iraq they would have stop the attacks, allowed the "American puppet" govt to be installed and led us to think everything was under control. Then, the Americans could leave and the opposition could then topple the govt and take control. But they didn't do that. Their objective is not just to seize control of Iraq 9that comes later) but rather to kill as many Americans and our allies as possible, and make us have to keep pouring money into that conflict).