[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I think the president is doing a good job considering the mess he inherited. I'm disappointed in a few things (CFR, farm bill) but I'll take him over Gore!

[AM2000]

bttt

[JamesWilson]

Great post Pokey!

[Amelia]

I think the article has a few "rough edges" -- or at least statements which aren't particularly diplomatic from an American point of view -- but then, it's not written for an American audience.

On the whole, very good!

[redhead]

"In the first eight months of the presidency, before the terrorist attacks, Powell as Secretary of State was arguing for the diplomatic approach, while Donald Rumsfeld, as Secretary of Defence, was in favour of a more brutalist assertion of American interests."

What's THIS crap??? Trust these Euroweenies to WHIIIIIIIIINE about Rumsfeld's adult approach as opposed to Powell's conciliatory puppy-on-its-back-piddling-into-the-air position...

[uncbob]

Louis had observed President Kennedy?s painful and clumsy learning of the realities of international life.

That brought us the Cuban missle Crisis, Vietnam and the Bay of Pigs Fiascos

[MainFrame65]

.... Without American strength, the Kaiser would have won the First World War after knocking out Russia, and Hitler would have won the Second.

Israel would not exist. The Soviet Union, however brutal and incompetent, would have dominated Europe.

These situations could not all be true. If Germany wins WWI, Hitler never comes to power, Russia becomes Communist but would not acquire its vassal states, and the Soviet Union never exists. If Hitler and National Socialism rise and are not opposed by the US, the Soviet Union would also never have existed.

Alternate histories are interesting speculations, but they really need to start at a point in REAL time and proceed along logical paths.

[alex]

This is a very goog article, however, ...

"Without American strength, the Kaiser would have won the First World War after knocking out Russia, and Hitler would have won the Second."

These ones are highly questionable, see below (*).

"Israel would not exist." Germany would not exist too.

"The Soviet Union, however brutal and incompetent, would have dominated Europe."

Yet another example of incredible level of genral journalistics stupidity - Hitler's victory in WWII, and European dominance of FSU are mutually exclusive.

"The whole world would be an infinitely bloodier place, with at best rare patches of threatened democracy."

"The global dangers from terrorism are now a threat to our remarkable peace and prosperity in Europe. The United States is the leader upon which we depend for security. Some exaggerated US self-interest, a few rough edges of diplomacy, a blunt Texan willingness to state uncomfortable truths, seem a small price for Europe to pay."

These ones are on the mark tough.