Look at the facts...

Without international cooperation NASA went from sub-orbital to a lunar landing in 8 years, while using the leftovers to build a three man space station in a single launch.

With the "benefit" of international cooperation it has taken NASA almost 20 years to build a space station with only a crew of two, with no end in sight to the billions its draining from America's space program.

If it wasn't for the burden of "international cooperation" NASA could pull the plug on that tar baby now, junk the shuttle, and have a running start at a return to the Moon with the 30-40 billion it would save finishing it up.

International cooperation may be a good deal for Europeans or Russia, but its a very bad thing for NASA which usually ends up bearing most of the costs of it.

Griffin knows this which is why he's NOT looking for international "partners" to "help" with VSE...