GRRR It's been glaringly obvious - especially since the current US president took office - that the American government has no respect whatsoever for the rest of the world. I always thought that Colon Powel was fairly diplomatic though, and not as isolationist as the rest of his current government. Then I came across this:

Bush and Blair have promised the United Nations will have a "vital role" in Iraq's reconstruction but apparently limited mostly to distributing humanitarian aid.

Powell dismissed German, Russian and French calls for a "central" U.N. role.

"I'm not quite sure what that means. They just say central and then they go on to their next meeting," Powell said.



Wow, the distain just drips off those words!



The reason the UN has no teeth is because of the USA!!! Each time a resolution comes along that the US does not like, they veto it. Not to mention not paying their dues... I'm starting to believe a country with such utter disregard for the rest of the world should be isolated, contained... not assisted in what seems to be a blind evangelical quest to become the policeman of the globe!



Hmph! I am a fairly calm and measured person normally, a pacifist who believes there is almost always a way of resolving conflict. I am a realist, I understand that sometimes, steps need to be taken. But they should be taken judiciously, calmly, and should be well planned and carried out with full consensus (or as full as possible). How can we ever promote democracy over the world if country that calls itself the flag-bearer of democracy acts like a totalitarian state???