>>>>Walter and many Americans often site our popularity or standing in European opinion poles as the mark of our success or failure, as if that were the goal of American policy. Granted it is an indicator of success in certain areas, but I would shudder to think policy makers considered it the determining factor in setting national security policy.
>>>>
>>>>Maybe not the sole determining factor... but somebody called Jefferson once thought that "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind" mattered quite a lot. ;-)
>>>
>>>So true. But he was referring to the necessity of explaining our action in seeking independance, rather than the effort itself depending on those opinions <s>
>>
>>So he took advice from the right wing and heavily deurinated the French by planting google bombs, renaming Belgian recipes to Liberty recipes, claiming that the French wore brown pants in battle etc etc, because he never gave a damn about their opinion - they never mattered to the independence cause, right?
>
>I guess that is somehow an "I hate George Bush" layered onto my observation about Jefferson, but considering you're one of the best writers on the forum I have to assume that paragraph was written after Happy Hour <bg>

Just an observation on how the times have changed. And how much Jefferson actually relied on the French. He surely wouldn't do any of above... not just in way of feeling the need to explain, but actually looking for help.

Now when you think you won't need any help, you may behave accordingly. And reap the benefits.