Finland and Sweden, too. And all those not on the list, IIUC.

If this wasn't so pathetic it would be hilarious!

These guys act like four-year-olds at the playground. Now, if only we could slap their mothers.

Canada's been shut-out, too.

Didn't France and Germany pretty much give up on the idea of getting contracts months ago? I don't think companies from either country even bothered to bid, not that there was an open bid, probably.

Germany took over a lot of tasks in Afghanistan, so US forces could be freed to participate in Iraq. And a lot of wounded soldiers were flown to Germany from Iraq.

The German Embassy in Washington announced, that they "were contracting in Iraq" already.
Only companies from the list of 63 States can bid, but any other company can subcontract. Nothing could stop, i.e. a Polish subsidary of a German company to bid on a contract, and hire the German mother to subcontract the work.
Thus, it all is just NeoCon smoke and mirror.

For instance, DHL, whose plane recently got hit at the Bhagdad airport, is a German company.

nice page

As a Canadian, I can't say I'm disappointed that my fellow citizens won't be wandering around Iraq as targets in a war we're not fighting.

I can't imagine what threat to security interests we'd represent, though.

Yeah, screwing our political and cultural allies is crucial to our security.

It's a sad day that I trust the Germans, French and maybe even the Russians to be less corrupt than my own government.

Great move. Now they will have a real stake in the current war. Read: these countries will have a very strong incentive to see the US completely fail and be kicked out as soon as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if they'll ship weapons to the guerrillas; after all it worked in the 80s in Afghanistan.

Of course all that is totally illegal and in blatant violation of every international treaty, including WTO.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they'll ship weapons to the guerrillas;" Joe, now don't honour your name too much.
That statement is absurd.
Look at reality, and don't listen to the brainwash coming out of the NeoCon's mouth. France and Germany are still part of ISAF in Afghanistan.
You should know better as to panic about NeoCon mimicry.
It's just hot air and lies.
European politicians don't panic about the NeoCons -- they panic about gullible idiocity of the US populus, not already having sent the NeoCons and Repugs where they belong.
He, who is scared, can easily be manipulated - everybody, stop being scared now!

I'm not gullible. I just say that every single American should be *very* glad and *very* thankful to the Europeans if they don't help the Iraqi resistance against these illegal rape, theft and occupation. And I'm not sure about Putin, frankly.
But they definitely should protest at UN and WTO and make a huge fuss about all that. There comes a time when people have had enough and decide to strike back, and that doesn't apply only to US internal politics with the liberals, but also to international politics with basically the rest of the world.

Ah, yes, these precious contracts. When was Wolfowitz nominated Secretary of State / Head of WTO by the way ? Is this stuff for real ? Pentagon hacks can decide on trade matters now ? Wow. What's next ?

Using national securiy concerns to bend trade rules will, well, not fool everyone. It's not like this is new. I'm sure it was in the name of national security that Shrub imposed these steel tariffs, and not for his own domestic policy agenda, too.

But they definitely should protest at UN and WTO and make a huge fuss about all that. There comes a time when people have had enough and decide to strike back, and that doesn't apply only to US internal politics with the liberals, but also to international politics with basically the rest of the world.

Like Shrub gives a fuck about international law, the UN, or WTO.

I don't believe european leaders will throw a big fit over this. My bet is they'll issue a symbolic protest, and keep quiet. It's much cheaper to hedge the bets on Shrub getting a big kick next november than to start another round of catfighting with an administration that refuses to play by the rules.

What's the big rush to become a target?

My main question is: are Iraqi companies allowed to bid?
As long as all reconstruction (or "reconstruction") is done by companies from rich foreign countries, who outsource the work for a pittance to cheap labor from Iraq or - even worse - other countries like South Korea, while most of the Iraqi population is out of work, the occupation forces will never win over the Iraqi people.

- Michael

Nothing could stop, i.e. a Polish subsidary of a German company to bid on a contract, and hire the German mother to subcontract the work.

Yup. Similar tactics allowed a Dick Cheney to reap huge benefits whilst he was CEO of Haliburton and the U.S. had sanctions banning trade with Saddam.

This might make james baker's new debt sharking job a tad more difficult. Hey Jimmy, lautoroute, aka l'autobahn, is dat way.

What a sad joke. So we, the US taxpayer, are just going to get to pay more for everthing because in Iraq because these vindictive clowns can't plan, finish anything, or do diplomacy. The story below is worse in its description of he CPA as a big frat house of opportunists looking for a appointment in next BushCo venture. These guys are the biggest creators of Big Government in recent history. The CPA is the WPA for the GOP farm team.

Am I hallucinatng , or does the wording of this imply that they're using this as incentive? As in, "you don't get to play with us yet, but join our freedom-fighting force, and maybe you will."

Jeezus.

Where did you get the photo Billmon? Wolfowitz does look like he is ready to wring someones neck with his grasp on that paper???(Wolfowitz Doctrine of pre-emptive war and "we stole it fair and square so screw-ya Doctrine?)

Project for the New American Century is going to get it's oilfields it has to razerwire ever single village, city and town in Iraq.

And like Josh Marshall, I wonder what Baker is actually doing in the Bush administration. Is Baker Bush's leg breaking thug, (-Iraq REALLY doesn't need to pay you back, isn't that RIGHT, RIGHT?--and "You no want to do what we say, we break-a ya leg"!

France is looking to see if it's legal, Germany says "you can't tell us what to do". (Germany seems to have made a deal with Bush to provided medical care for our wounded troopers in exchange for keeping our military there in Germany be of course that always change.)

And Clinton Democrats on the HILL don't do anything or say anything cause the boss sez, "don't to do nothing OK,--that's an order".

We have nothing but a bunch of thugs in Washington now.

Yeah DC,

We could write a new Orwell book entitled the "GOP Animal Farm", I mean really, these tactics are a bit reminiscent of books we've read yah?

It's funny how Max Cleland made out like a bandit. Just complain a lot about the 9/11 panel, write a couple of good op-eds and get the White House to issue you a well paying cushy job and you're on your way.

The Dem's don't have to say anything or do anything and still they're set for life. Damn everyone should want to be a politician.

It will come out eventually that France and Germany weren't making any offers so Bushco beat them to the public relations punch and said they weren't giving them any. With this crowd, it always turns out that way. These are people that will paint a raw turkey brown just for a good photo op, for chrissakes.

The way the dollar's collapsing we might not be able to afford French/German or Canadian engineers!!

But seriously, this sure pathetic and as un-grownup as you can get. Germany construction companies are a "security threat" huh? More's the chance that they are a threat to the job security of totally incompetent B&R middle managers.

Hey Paul! I'll tell you why those dang Iraqis keep shooting at us - we took away their jobs and subcontracted them out to South Korea. I guess Bush learned his lessons from the Kennedy assassination didn't he? Don't get in the way of the guys filling their pockets after they put you in office...

I cannot believe how incredibly stupid the bush-admin is behaving. What do they want to achieve? Even the sole remaining superpower will need friends in the future - and in order to maintain at least some good-will, one does not tell people that their economies violate one's sueurity interests, whatever that might mean in this case. The economy in Europe does not look too well at the moment, but the US of A have amassed a double deficit that might quickly turn into an enormous problem for the selfish self-proclaimed rulers of the world.
My friends, where is your country going?

"security interests"; sorry

There are more than a few for the 'Coalition of the UN-Willing' to punish the latest Bushite from 'CHICKEN-hawk Leader'.

1) Try to move more oil settlement payments to the Euro. In fact, they could actively start to offer to pay a slight premium to oil exporters who settle in the Euro. The Euro was up 42% against the dollar last I heard. I don't know that a premium would be required at all.

2) Refuse to contribute to any Afghanistan assistance. No money, no troops, no loans without some respect and recognition from the unilateralists.

3) Do not support any more US actions in the UN to legitimize the Qwagmire.

With a little more reflection, I am sure I could come up with more, as a matter of fact, I just did.

4) Start doing some currency speculation ala 'shorting the dollar' as the bite begins from the oil payment in Euro policy.

Make the Bushite assholes scream...

Stand by to help the US when adults take back over.

2)

Why should retaliation/escalation be the only conceivable answer in this game? The American people will know what to do with an admin that ruins everything the US is famous for. It is not in 'our', certainly not in my interest to hurt the American people - friends, as I said. As to the admin - they already are in a deep hole, and they know it.

I agree with my fellow Canadian poster. I am not upset that Canadians will not be able to bid on contracts, per se. I am however somewhat pissed that Canada pledged 300 million to this folly and is still shut out. Oh and the softwood lumber deal sucks too!

Jesus. And these are the people we're hoping will help us with troops and other support. WTF is wrong with these people, are they delusional? Oh, wait. That's right. They are.

Why do you insult Gollum so? After all, he was a Hobbit who was corrupted by the power of the ring. He was not inherently evil.

So Canada plays nic(er) sending money for reconstruction and is shut out because of a principled decision not to spread our forces thin by sending troops for a misguided adventure in Iraq.

Not that I think that Canadian companies would have won bids - I don't know. As a taxpayer though, don't you think that having more companies bidding, not fewer, would make the money go farther?

I think it's moot anyway, cause there should be Iraqi companies rebuilding, not american companies or any othered Favored Nations companies either.

Ideology reigns over reason in the Bush White House... again.

"security interests"; sorry

Posted by teuton

Yeah really, exactly what does this term "security interest" really mean??? - Being such an Orwellian term and all.

re: teuton: "security interests"

Better tell Wolfie that those dangerous Canucks are jeopardizing US national security in such places as NORAD, where the Deputy C in C is a Canadian three-star ;-)

Now is this supposed to counterbalance the chickening out of the steel tariffs last week? Make sure we don't look like we completely give in to those filthy Euros?

Or maybe Wolfie is concerned about the security of eventual French, German, Russian workers and doesn't want them to get shot at in Baghdad. I'm sure those chocolate makers apprecieate Wolfie's willingness to rather sacrifice American, English, Polish, Spanish, Italian, and South Korean workers to the snipers... oh, I forgot, no more South Koreans. Oh well...

Yes, Kindergarten indeed.

The military families are the one who should be really upset about this. This morning on CNN after reading some e-mails about this, Hemmer and Cafferty were saying "Well, our guys and girls are the ones dying there."

Is that what they were sent to die for? Contracts to make Haliburton richer? Would they have agreed to go if those reasons were given up front?

And this should certainly put to rest any of those stupid claims that Paul D. Wolfowitz is one of the "nicer" people in Bush's Chicken Hawk aviary.

It looks to me as though Wolfowitz (and all Bushies) just want to liberate the Iraqis from their damn oil by any means necessary. All our troopers in this war, who are dying and being wounded are doing so for the Project for the New American Century co-founders. This shit where the administration claims the spoils of war in our occupation of Iraq has exclusive rights isn’t an act of liberation of any kind for the Iraqi people since it isn’t in Iraq’s best interest to be so limited. This move has only been exclusively the Coalitions of the Willing’s interest.

The Iraqis don’t have ANY rights at all for the standard of a free market and that AIN’T freedom no matter how anybody looks at it.

I think it's moot anyway, cause there should be Iraqi companies rebuilding, not american companies or any othered Favored Nations companies either.

Iraqi companies are helping.
AP: "Prime contracts for reconstruction funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars should go to the Iraqi people and those countries who are working with the United States ... The United States and coalition countries ... and the Iraqi people themselves ... and I think it's totally appropriate for those U.S. taxpayer dollars to go to the entities I just mentioned.

aw poor canada

Is that what they were sent to die for? Contracts to make Haliburton richer? Would they have agreed to go if those reasons were given up front?

There's some wonderful dialog in the movie Catch-22 (it's not in the book, this was the one and only case where the movie was actually better than the book) that seems relevant.

I can't find the script on line, but it's a conversation between Yossarian and Milo Minderbinder regarding Yossarian's friend Nately, who in the movie is killed when Milo is hired by the Germans to bomb his own airfield. The dialog goes something like this:

Yossarian: You killed him Milo!

Milo: He was a member of the syndicate. He had a share.

Yossarian: But he's dead, Milo!

Milo: Then it will go to his parents.

Yossarian: His parents are rich. They don't need the money.

Milo: Then they'll understand.

I hope Wolfie waited till the cheques cleared on any world-bux for the Neo-construction of Iraq before making his threats. The Donors' Conference drew a fraction of what's needed for rebuilding, and mostly in pledges rather than actual dollars. (Call me a cynic but those "63 nations" on the coalition look like they're there to get rather than give handouts.)

According to Der Spiegel, the WTO is already looking into this, for whatever that's worth.

According to Der Spiegel, the WTO is already looking into this, for whatever that's worth.

Billmon ... you meander down to the stream ... dip your ladle ... fill the bucket ... then return to the village laden with the water of silly wisdom. Delicious.

I think it's totally appropriate for those U.S. taxpayer dollars to go to the entities I just mentioned.

How does it help U.S. taxpayers to limit competition on reconstruction contracts in Iraq? I would think we, as taxpayers, would want as much competition as possible, including from French, German and Canadian companies, in order to keep costs down and performance up. Isn't that how the free market system is supposed to work?

Unless you think of U.S. citizens as sort of feudal serfs, who owe their allegience - and a hefty share of their tax dollars -- to the Haliburtons and the Bechtels.

Which, come to think of it, is how the GOP seems to look at the world these days.

Where is the Democrats on all this?

Bill Clinton is quickly become the KING of doing the "do nothing DEMS."

HEY if Jimmy Carter can say something about the Bush administration, you would have to wonder "WHY the HELL can't Bill Clinton"????

Is Bill Clinton a card carrying member of the Project for the New American Century?

oops, that should be:

Bill Clinton is quickly become the KING of the "do nothing DEMS."

LMAO!!! ... so glad the whiskey bar is open!

^ Points West ^ : where the bullsh*t meets the bone

aw poor canada

Yeah Right.

The equivelent response would be "You broke it, you bought it. Good luck with that whole Iraqi reconstruction thing. We'll be taking our funding back, as we don't think that our cash should be going to Halliburton's inflated rates. You'll hardly notice it anyway - it's only $200 million. A pittance compared to the $87 billion. Oh and we're rotating our troops out of Kabul earlier that expected. Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah!"

I think you'll find the Canadian response is likely to be more generous than that. Quoting incoming Prime Minister Paul Martin:

"We are a people who will not hunker down in fear behind our borders... We are a people who, while others are shutting doors, open them."

It isn't a particularly forward thinking move on the part of the Bush administration. A more effective approach to rebuilding Iraq would include the traditional allies in an attempt to give them a political stake in the successful reconstruction of the country.

But it is worth mentioning that there are subtly contradictory goals involved. One of those goals is reconstruction; the other is to encourage traditional allies to provide stronger backing for American endeavours. There is no reasonable argument that excluding France and Germany will improve the reconstruction process. But you could make an argument that it sends a message to the leadership and citizenry of non-coalition countries that they need to support the US in the future (not that I believe this is an effective tactic).

In fact, rather than encouraging non-coalition members to contribute, the document actually provides a political disincentive. Any non-coaliation country that suddenly decides to send troops in may suddenly find its political leaders in hot water as the natural assumption is that they are selling the lives of troops for profit.

And, of course, a number of excluded countries have actually contributed some amount of aid to Iraq, whether through government or private means. And some of those excluded countries do have large outstanding loans to Iraq. There seems to be no incentive to make further monetary contributions, nor to forgive those loans.

The best response from Canada would be to continue to provide aid to Iraq, but it should make certain that the funds go through relief agencies which operate independently of American government funding (if it is not doing so already).

In other words, Canada should take the high road. As Prime Minister Paul Martin has pointed out, the goal should be about improving the lives of Iraqis, not about profiteering. Canadians should simply ignore the rhetoric emanating from Washington. After all, the objectives of America and Canada in Iraq need not be the same. Canada should make it clear by its actions that rebuilding Iraq and empowering Iraqi citizens is too important to be disrupted by the questionable international diplomacy offered by the American DoD.

Paul Martin's statement should be along the lines of: "While it is puzzling for Canadian companies to be excluded from bidding on prime contracts to rebuild Iraq, we nevertheless will continue to provide aid to Iraq in order to improve the well-being of Iraqi citizens."

BTW, Paul Martin isn't officially Prime Minister for another 2 days. It was outgoing PM Jean Chretien that kept us out of the war. I'm concerned about Mr. Martin. I think he's further right than most Liberals & made some ambiguous remarks about whether he would have stayed out of the war if the choice had been his at the time.

Our economy is slow but nowhere near as bad as the US, and the mega-backlash that was supposed to hit after we refused to join the "Coalition" never happened. Even so, there was some punishment meted out by our so-called neighbour.
"Do what we say or we'll screw your economy." Sounds like friendship Al Capone-style.

Aren't the French, the Germans, and the Canadians providing troops to the Afghanistan clusterfuck? After this little "fuck you" from Wolfowitz of Arabia, isn't it time to pick up those Afghan marbles and go home?

Canada under Paul Martin standing up to the US, pulling out of Afghanistan?

Yeah right. At this very moment the military is occupying Sherbrooke QC as a training exercise for occupying some Afghanistan city. At any rate, i'm sure Paul Martin will find a way to sell out and get Canadian business interests some interesting business.

CNN footage: US Soldiers execute Iraqi man, cheer.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.literati.org/article5365.htm

young soldier describes how 'awesome' it was.

Russia and France are the biggest creditors of Iraq and they have the best business contacts within Iraq. They know what kind of facilities Iraq has and were probably the source of much of the equipment in use.

This clear example of juvenile spite on the part of the US will eliminate any incentive for these countries to donate any of their tax dollars to the effort to rebuild Iraq. The leaders of the excluded countries would find themselves in major political trouble if they attempt to assist Iraq.

I would have thought that BushCo would have, at a minimum, understood politics well enough to have understood that they have pushed the governments that were excluded into a corner.

Did anyone have a look at the countries that are NO security risc? You can find the document at http://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pdf/D_F.pdf)

Columbia is on the list as well as for instance Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda. Much less of a security risc, obviously.

Marjolein

connect the dots.
Bechtel=Big Dig contractor in Boston who racked up millions of dollars of cost overruns for the project at taxpayer expense.
USAID director= Andrew Natsios rethuglican from MA and at one time was the overseer to Big Dig mess in Boston and looked the other way when costs ballooned for the Big Dig project. Left his post as Big Dig chief just prior to scathing report detailing huge cost overruns and lapses in auditing. Natsios was appointed as USAID director. Now as USAID director Natsios hands out contracts to his former buddies Bechtel in Iraq. Natsios must have been impressed with Bechtel's "on time and under budget" quality of work they performed in Boston
Andrew Card=Current chief of staff and former big whig rethug from MA and close buddy of Natsios.(gee wonder how Natsios got the job, any thoughts?)
George Shulz= former president of Bechtel. Big GOP supporter.

Does anyone see any sort of pattern,trend or connections here once again.? Think Halliburton, Carlyle Group.

Couldn't resist:

Surely you aren't suggesting that the Bush Administration would stoop to rewarding large corporations?

By the way, the news reports refer to $5 +/- Billion for re-equipping the Iraqi army. Isn't this the same Iraq where anyone who wants one can pick up an AK-47 cheap on the street corner? The home of the most heavily armed army in the middle east? I know we blew up most of Saddam's toys, but I suspect there's plenty around for legitimate self defense. I guess when we impose an unpopular "Iterim Governing Authority", we have to give them lots of guns to defend themselves. On the other hand, it'll also help keep those pesky Iranians in line.

Where is the Democrats on all this?

Bill Clinton just gave a speech criticizing Bush's pre-emptive war, in Winnipeg, as I understand it.

Why?

You have to wonder if Wolfowitz jump the gun a bit. Wasn't he suppose to wait until after Baker got these countries to write off Iraq's debt BEFORE barring them from Business in Iraq.

Josh Marshall points out that France, Germany and Russia are near the top of the list of countries that Bush "family janitor" James Baker will be approaching in his attempt to get Iraq's debts forgiven or restructured. Plus: Is Wolfowitz on the way out?

Time is everything. I mean really WTF was Wolfowitz thinking. I don't believe Junior gave him the all clear yet.

Hey Werner, I have been trying for over twelve hours now to stop being scared. It's not working. What shall I do. D...i,

Er, "?" after "do".

I am glad you are back Bill...
Here is some great stuff from Tom Dispatch:
***
...while 60 South Korean engineers seem to be in the process of withdrawing as well.

The Koreans were subcontracted to work for the U.S. government repairing the Iraqi electricity grid. This is, according to the Washington Post, "the largest known withdrawal of contractors over security issues and follows a week of confrontations between the workers and their managers that culminated with yelling and punches Sunday afternoon." Evidently, others in the vast army of privateers that we've brought into Iraq to fix this, that, and the other thing, are also growing nervous (and unlike the military, as civilians, they need no exit strategy and no orders, should they decide to depart.)

****
More great stuff here: http://64.4.26.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=9dcedd861031c20652cf91c000ec08bf&lat=1071105705&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2enationinstitute%2eorg%2ftomdispatch%2findex%2emhtml%3femx%3dx%26pid%3d1121
----------------
Even here in Australia thanks to new Labor party leader who openly said that Bush is incompetent and dangerous man and refused to apologies while Labor and him personally are having much better poll numbers recently, now is visible that more and more Australians are against this policy and anti-Americanism is growing fast...and remember we are together in this mess...One can only imagine how hated Americans are around the globe...
It's not going to go a way...

You reap what you sow. W is becoming world enemy number 1. Those that can will attempt to deny W what he covets most - a second term and power. I would expect targetted tariffs in key states and the dumping of US securities leading up to next November. Also minimal cooperation from those on whom he sh*ts. Maybe W can get away beating up on the poor and stupid but there are others on this planet and in this country who will make him pay.

Unfortunately for the US, it doesn't matter whether or not decisions that piss foreign governments off are via presidential edict or just part of the plan. The perception among the worlds' populace that this represents America the entity will continue. All will not be forgiven just because Bush goes.

Milo: Then they'll understand.

Billmon, you've a dashing humour. I loved the film, but when I read the book (first) I couldn't put it down - read it in one shot. Couldn't stop Laughing.

Given the overview of all you write, I'd agree we're in a Catch-22. And not a good thing. Not funny.

Any non-coaliation country that suddenly decides to send troops in may suddenly find its political leaders in hot water as the natural assumption is that they are selling the lives of troops for profit.

"Non-coalitian" ? Why exclude the other's. "Selling lives for profit" ? uh, and we're not?? Seems like we set the agenda. And for those who think the SecDef (or Wolfie) sets the policy debate here, think again. They're mere side-winder's. The DO'er's in this case are in Commerce (always are): Don Evans in the seat right now, ole Texass drinkin' Bud of Shrub. It's funny but the Press Mess rarely get's the grit of the stories correct; then again that story is more than a soundbyte can handle.

For whatever reason, Billmon seems to hit the nail on the head more times than not,... not sure exactly where he gets all his insider stuff (which goes unnoticed a bit here), but it's always interesting when it pops up. ;>

Having an opportunity to daily see quite a few of American information TV program even here in Australia , I had to notice that most of the politicians and also most of the TV faces (including all sorts of annalists and journalists and speakers and...) are "mummies"...if you know what I mean...Where are younger (then 60 or more) Americans in politic and media? Don't they have any rights to enter these areas? It’s about their destiny...It looks like all decisions makers in USA are people with "one foot in greave"...No wonder why USA politic is so conservative...
Sorry I had to take this of my chest cause this certainly is not case in Australia or at least this field is not crammed with "mummy" type of people only, even if they may be the decision makers under the surface....
I am not a very young person and yes I admire experience and wisdom that comes with aging (most of the time) but this is "atomic era" and things are moving fast...obviously to fast for 60 + generation...

"ey Werner, I have been trying for over twelve hours now to stop being scared. It's not working."

Woooaaaahahahaha!
You crack me up, Dongi, that was so sweet of you!

Well, Dongi, you know the answer, of course. ;-)

Like the rest of us in the dark, hold out your hand until you touch mine, or any others, scream, holler and kick, and never say die.
Or, at least: "Fine then, but I take five of you guys with me".
Then, run forward and hit anything that moves.

(Disclaimer: Serving suggestion only! Don't try this at home!)

:-)

It gets funnier. Today the NY Times reports that Bush is asking the countries forbidden to bid to forgive Iraq's debts.

"(...) The perception among the worlds' populace that this represents America the entity will continue. All will not be forgiven just because Bush goes."

Advance apologies if this sounds overly harsh - but frankly, it shouldn't be. I realize there's a large number of people in the US who are (rightfully) embarassed over the damage their administration has done in their name. But - and let's not forget this - there's also quite a large number of folks who are perfectly fine with what the retards in the White House have been doing the past 3 years.

How else could Bush's approval rating still hover at around 50%? Even if these numbers are well-padded by the media whores and you deduct a healthy 10 percentage points - that leaves us with rougly 90 million people who have no problem being represented by what can - at best - be considered an extremist government.

Even if the American people will do away with Bush come next November - and I do have my doubts about that - these 90 million folks will still be around. Are all of them extremists? Of course not, but - and I'm trying to word this as positively as I can - every last one of them is a gullible idiot who, like the Germans in the 1930's, wants nothing more than some schmuck in the White House to provide easy answers to the most complex of problems.

(citizen): "Why did the terrorists attack us on 9/11?"
(politician): "They hate us because we live in the greatest democracy on the planet - we should go and bomb the shit out of them"
(citizen): "Alright then. Sounds like a good plan. Let's go and do it."
(rest of the world): "Huh ?!?"

In the past 3 years, the US (the administration respectively) has pissed away pretty much every last bit of credit and credibility with the rest of the world. Bush and his cronies have demonstrated quite clearly that US politicians can not be trusted - from Kyoto to free trade to "nation-building" and many. many other occasions.

Trust, especially once it's lost, can not be regained instantaneously by switching out a couple of figureheads - it needs to be earned, and that (usually) doesn't happen over night.

Even if these numbers are well-padded by the media whores and you deduct a healthy 10 percentage points - that leaves us with rougly 90 million people who have no problem being represented by what can - at best - be considered an extremist government.

Well, a substantial portion of the population will be satisfied with any government that they don't perceive as being a direct threat to themselves. Been pretty true everywhere in history. "Evil" leaders only get thrown out when the people are seriously materially hurting, not because of overseas adventures that don't cause massive domestic pain.

Cmdicely you are so right...unfortunately...
Eff you are even more right...
Credibility once lost is very hard to gain again...very hard...
But even worse is the fact that mostly (in democracies at least) people (nation) deserve the government they have...think about it...
Thinking people are minority in every nation...that’s why I do take intellectuals responsible for what their nation became in the end...and corrupted intellectuals are in my opinion really the lowest scum on Earth...that's what we see every time when some nation lose the track...

curse the baggins, we hates it forever

"Advance apologies if this sounds overly harsh - but frankly, it shouldn't be."-eff

I'm not taking a position as to whether forgiveness comes into it or not. I'm not an American and as such it was an observation only. Not a request for sympathy. :)