Reply #49: Ruined our interntational reputation.

[JackDragna]

We have great power to do good simply through the force of will we have as a nation. Many countries respect us and will follow our lead if we push for something strong enough. So, what has Bush done? Arrogantly called our Western European allies, some of the most powerful nations on earth, a useless mass known as "Old Europe." He's thumbed his nose at the U.N. with the invasion of Iraq and pulling out of numerous treaties on pollution and human rights. He makes belligerent statements toward any foreign leader who dares stand up to his policies and is probably complicit in a conspiracy to throw a democratically elected leader, Hugo Chavez, out of power. We are going to be harmed in innumerable ways by the goodwill the president has squandered. People will sanction us, will sign defensive pacts against us and will not include us in efforts to assist or rebuild suffering countries. As the rest of the world learns cooperation and unity, we will become an outcast, a third-world country full of oligarchs like Bush who consider anyone not American to be inferior. The most serious thing Bush has done is squander our international goodwill.