UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw scolds France and Germany
 

From the BBC.....


UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has warned France and Germany they will "reap a whirlwind" if they push America into an isolationist position over the Iraq crisis.

...

Jack Straw argued that America was the only superpower and the world had to decide whether to force it to act unilaterally or through international institutions.

"What I say to France and Germany - and all my other European Union colleagues - is take care," said Mr Straw.

"Because just as America helps to define and influence our politics, so what we do in Europe helps to define and influence American politics.

"We will reap a whirlwind if we push the US into a unilateralist position."

Mr Straw said the "latest intelligence" also suggested Iraq was able to produce a host of chemical and biological agents, and items were being hidden from weapons inspectors.

He went on: "Saddam Hussein believes that he can once again divide and outwit the international community through a pretence of cooperation.

"We cannot afford to send him any signal that he's close to success."


Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2818987.stm

I would be much happier if France & Germany forced us into just plain pulling our military out of every damned backwoods shithole they're in and letting the UN deal with its own problems. I'm tired of wasted tax money, I'm tired of international hostility, I'm tired of Americans being killed for stupid causes abroad.

Then the world would hate us for NOT doing anything and not providing the world with security.

That's an interesting point. Kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Fact is no matter what the U.S. does, anti-Americanism is not going away. It's one of the costs of being the only superpower.

Consider this

If the US became isolationist we could spend some of our tax dollars inproving the life a of Americans. For 50 years the US taxpayer has paid to protect Western Europe, Japan, S. Korea, Israel, Canada and others. In that time our tax dollars have gone overseas instead of paying for better education, better healthcare and improving the lives of Americans. We could do a lot better for Americans short term if we pulled out.

The flip side is that if we pull out the vaccum will be filled by something else, probably the Islamic world. It has the desire, the growth and the money. Europe is rapidly losing it's identity due to the huge influx of north African immigrants. In time due to differential birthrates Islam will be the religion and culture of all of Europe.

I don't think that Islam would fill the void, just newer oppressive governments.....oh....wait....

Fuck 'em. At least in that scenario we don't have to pay to be lambasted.

hence one of the biggest problems with Islam....they've yet to reconcile the fact that they no longer are the vast empire they once were.