That's the tragedy here, Raoul. There was an opportunity for the US as the world's only superpower to influence world events in ways that are unprecedented.

Instead, we are determined to put ourselves at war with much of the rest of the world. To spend and borrow ourselves silly, to sink the economy.

I'm reading "A Thousand Days" by Arthur Schlesinger. He describes Kennedy as wanting to understand how and why other people thought as they do, tolerating the political stands people had to take, and still being about to come to terms. In Africa and Italy he was especially effective at that, as well as with Kruschev.

When it came to offering Europe a vision other than that of de Gaulle, he could still understand and respect de Gaulle.

Not now. "You're either for us or against us" seems to be the rule, not understanding that no two nations can have the same goals, priorities, intentions.

9-11 was a tragedy, and I'd like vengeance. Can I expect a Nigerian, or Filipino, or Latvian to want vengeance as much as I? Can I expect them to do what I think should be done in order to exact vengeance? Probably not. They may not be "for" me in that sense, but they certainly aren't against me until I tell them they must adopt my priorities.

The US is experiencing a sad loss, not only of what is, but of what could have been.

Arf