Mick, Not to drive a point into the ground, but we consult to death with our European allies. There are less complicated mating dances with the African Bowerbird. They don't seem to get the idea that, just because we disagree with them, after "intense consultations", that we are still going to do what is in our national interest to do. During the entire Cold War did France ever agree with us? Should that have stopped us?

We rarely tie our foreign aid to countries who disapprove of our policies, only to those who actively attack them. If we were making every country in Europe (or Africa etc.) happy, we would be doing something wrong.

Finally, the use of the term "third rate" seems to have been taken by some as an indication that I meant ALL European countries were "third rate". Please note I said "some third-rate European country". American English is my native tongue, and by no stretch of any of my words, can you make that statement inclusive of all European nations (or any others). To the extent that some Europeans included themselves in, I suggest a national 12 step self-esteem course (or aroma therapy...)