]Bush has in fact changed the rules of the game considerably How do you think Bush has changed the rules of the game? ]the neocons are an odd group of conservative
] intellectuals. They have certainly influenced the Bush
] administration but he stops short of being a neocon. The perspective on this side of the Atlantic is that Bush has very much aligned himself, and virtually got into bed, with the neocons. However I agree the USA has neither the resources, the military might or the will to pursue a broad based strategy of reforming world governments. The cost in lives alone would be astonishing. There will be no invasion of China. ]The administration is acting in what it feels its
] interests are in Iraq specifically, and specifically with
] respect to a broader fight against Al'Q. but before the invasion there wasn't a clear connection between Sadaam and Al'Q. But Bush has given the impression to the Muslim world that that the West is at war with Islam. Peculiar when Iraq was a secular state, which is why Bin Laden hated it. ]Americans do not beleive that the UN should have the power to
] veto their military actions. But are those Americans right? The UN was formed after one group of nation states had tried to impose their beliefs and way of life on others by force. The international community should have the right to maintain the stability whereby one member state is not forcing its will upon others without due regard to international opinion and ultimately international law. ]There is a lot of frustration around about UN processes that put
] western nations on equal footing with terror states. Only certain members of the Security Council have the veto and since when could France be classed as a terror state. ] gutting these institutions without replacing
] them with something more effective the US is returning
] international law to a state of nature, which will ultimately
] result in serious problems. I completely agree ]Well, ostensibly the US is acting in self defense against a
] bunch of crazy fundamentalists bent on murder and destruction. Again there was no connection between Sadaam and Al'Q. ]Sometimes you can't win the arguement by rational means
] because the person you are arguing with isn't rational. Yes Al'Q isn't like the Imperial era British Government they are more like the Nazis and force must be restisted resolutely. The audience for the argument is global Muslim opinion which is very much accessable to rational argument. Al'Q is only a tiny group maybe not much bigger than the Baader-Meinhof gang. By stoking the fire the US acts as a recuiting sergeant for Al'Q just as the British government did for the IRA with its policy of internment. ]They did not do this because they did not care. that is unfair RE: Iraqis crowd the polls | csmonitor.com | 
