I am very pleased at these discussions, and offer my congratulations to An Pluiméir Ceolmhar, Teribus, and others for well reasoned opinions that seem to have their facts right. Where there is conjecture, it is based on sound reasoning and I applaud you for that.

I would like to offer a hearty second to the opinion expressed that the behaviour of the present US administration vis-à-vis the international community plumbs new depths of cynicism. It is no secret that I was a part of the campaign to elect Al Gore. One of my expressed concerns upon the election of George W. Bush was his tendency towards the "cowboy with the fastest gun" type of diplomacy. He and much of his cabinet seem to hold the attitude that the US is the only real player and the rest of you are simply nice little countries and we will let you know what we think you need to know. One also gets the sense that they would like to be isolationist unless that isolationism might cause US oil companies discomfort. I just don't think they have a genuine interest in these types of things.

Mick