A conversation in restaurant would be fun. We could meet in Cincinati, an eleven hour drive for both of us. :)As "much" is a relative term, I will point out that if you replace "protect" with "tickle (our allies) with a feather". You get a completely valid meaning, which is quite different than yours. The present diplomatic debacle is due to the Bush Administration's particular arrogance,    complete disregard for history, and extraordinary incompetance. Simply put, Bush is having a tough time with France either because Rumsfeld and the other hawks in the administration want to       discredit the UN or because Bush is an idiot. It has nothing to do with the cold war, likewise the erosion of social programs have nothing to do with the demise of socialism and everthing to do with spoiled, selfish ex-yuppie baby boomers whinging and voting themselves lower taxes. That brings me to the point of this points.

I haven't lived in Ontario for a while so I have forgotten the unwritten rule that every time we start to feel patriotic then Canadians are obliged to feel guilty and whinge about the littleist things which "prove" how bad we are. People in the US are constantly saying that they have the greatest country in the world saying that the USA can do no wrong. Maybe we can learn from each other.