The Real World?

As my fever breaks and I take a look as what's happening around the world, I find myself longing for my former state of excused stupidity. Ignorance is bliss and this is why:

Moscow is going to re-install statues of Stalin.

Iran is now more pissed of that usual with the United States. While they're in the middle of nuclear negotiations with the European Union, Washington threatens a military strike.

"With reliance on enormous popular support, diplomatic capacity and full military capability, the Islamic Republic of Iran will firmly respond to any unwise measure or plan," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a statement responding to "recent comments by US officials".

There are phrases there that can't be used by America right now. Like 'popular support' and 'diplomatic capacity' and 'full military capability'.

I want terrorists caught. I want a stable Middle East. I'm thinking, and yes it's an old song and dance, that because we know North Korea has arms, why not go after them if Iraq isn't enough for our Texan Tough Guy? I think some vague attempt at dipomacy might be good when one notes that if Iran is able to negociate with the EU, that if the U.S. goes in and starts blowing everyone up because they could make bombs, that the U.S. will have no one watching it's back. Russia isn't. China isn't. Japan isn't. If it all comes down to business and money, and it usually does, the U.S. is truly going it alone.

Condoleezza Rice also called for world action to keep Iran from building nuclear weapons. She repeated a threat to haul the Islamic republic before the UN Security Council for sanctions. Which is really ironic when you consider that the UN Security Council wanted to haul the U.S. in for the same thing.

Reuters reports four more years of Bush makes the world anxious.Bush shows no sign of wishing to strengthen the dollar despite the EU's complaints that its exports will suffer, or to answer calls to sign the Kyoto protocol to cut greenhouse gases. Phooey on that!

There is deep resentment in the Arab world where Bush is accused of bias toward Israel. Hey! That's the Sheriff's own personal business! He's in town to clear out the bad guys! Despite criticizism the Sheriff's actions against Arab and Muslim states in the 'war on terror' has brought peacemaking efforts to a standstill and that the Sheriff's home team now faces dire warnings against any new military action in the region. But once that Star was pinned on, the Sheriff took matters into his own hands. It'll all come down to a showdown at the 'I'm OK/You're OK' Corral and the Sheriff won't be in the front lines.