That's not too hard to figure out. Its a group called the NeoCons whose first loyalty is to Israel. Condi Rice is one poor little girl who had first to appease them before trying anything else. Remember how blustery she was when she first took office to the point of scolding world leaders for not seeing terrorism the American way? A US cabinet officer scolding foreign heads of state?? Sure way to make friends.
GWB in this? He is one ex Texas National AirGuardsman who skipped the draft for the Vietnam war and now wants to show that he is a good warrior who can shoot from the hip. Only trouble is that he can't aim, aka cannot think one step ahead. He shoots up innocent people who happen to be in his way for whatever reason and he shoots himself in the leg just as often.
Implicit in your, my and many others' statements is that Bush hasn't got much of a brain of his own and is constantly being manipulated by others. This may or may not be true. The fact remains that it is the common perception of many including many of the world's leaders. Thus public statements from other heads of state maintain the facade of a President GWB being the strong and resolute leader of a rich and powerful country. The subtle policy change is that every world leader wants to have as little to do with GWB and his gang as possible within diplomatic nicebreasties. In just one administration the rest of the world realises that it must move away from American hegemony in just about every area. This evolution of a multipolar world and the dissolution of America is happening right before your eyes and is happening faster than anyone could have predicted. Only the Americans, distracted by an unjustifiable and unwinnable war, does not realise that yet.
Don't make us laugh. American legislators live and die by their poll figures. Right now the Bush team have got Americans so scared about terrorism that any congressman, journalsit or intelligent person will get run over buy the panicked crowd if they try to take a position other than Bush's. They will make some noise but in the final count they will vote with Bush, or risk a rightwing backlash in their consbreastuencies.
Checks against planting Iran and NK? The US military is already bogged down those two countries and there is no prospect of an exit strategy anytime soon. That's an occupation force of only 200,000. They are in no position to take on a new war. Plus the fallout from attacking Iran will likely result in all Muslim countries shutting their oil supplies to the US, OPEC revisited.
Forces recruitment has been below quota for 5 or 6 months running now not that it was any better in the months before. Even ghetto American youth who had looked upon military service as a way to a better life are smarter than people give them credit for. Always look for how people react to get a real feel for the situation, not what they say. Al;ways look at the background scene to get at what is really going on. Americans avoid travelling abroad these days. If they do travel they play down their American idenbreasty to the extent of wearing Canadian lapel pins and flags to try to pbutt themselves off as Canadians. There is much more I can comment on but the above will do for now.
