<The Bush administration made its unwillingness to sign the Kyoto Protocol crystal clear. Washington would develop its own rules that would protect American interests.

...Only when it clearly and overwhelmingly serves the national interest does the Bush administration promote multilateral co-operation.



Excuse me, but isn't that the entire point? Whose national interest SHOULD Bush be looking out for?

I realize that the ideal situation for the rest of the world would be for America to lie happily on its back like a giant Schmoo and let other nations carve slices out of us--incidentally the actual function of the vast majority of "agreements" and "treaties" we are asked to sign up to--but that's not what we're paying the United States Government for.

"Multilateralism" usually implies that there is some give and take. At present, Europeans and others have done nothing but attempt to block us. We have gotten absolutely zero workable alternative solutions to the problem of terrorism and other world threats. If we had just sat back after 9-11 and let Europe handle it, what exactly would they have done? Write the Taliban a nasty letter? Details, please.

Hell, what did they do about Bosnia on their own? What have they really done about ANYTHING on their own? I'm not talking about pounding a desk at the United Nations. I'm talking about going out and doing something. It might be kind of nice for American troops to stay home and let some other nation take it on the chin for world peace for a change.

I can understand why Europe resents us. It is crystal clear that without the deterrent of American military force, built and paid for by Americans, the Soviet Union would have long ago rolled over them like an avalanche and most of Eurasia would have been an East German paradise. It is typical that gratitude would not be forthcoming, and I don't expect gratitude either for disarming lunatic pyschopaths that are a lot closer to Europe than they are to the United States.

Not sure why Canada is so pissy. They weren't threatened directly by the Soviets. Probably some sort of inferiority complex, but I don't know why. They have much nicer scenery.

Frankly, I don't care what they think any more. When they're ready to actually carry their share of the weight of keeping the world safe, instead of just standing by the sidelines, writing opinions and agreements, and throwing shitballs at the United States, let me know.