For All Kinds Of Reasons

This disturbs me. As the world becomes physically smaller it is important that we learn to get along with our neighbors ...and distant relatives. For many years before the crew without a clue destroyed America's respectability, the Geneva Conventions were adhered to by the military and mentioned as the "Holy Grail" of Human Rights behavior in movies and television. Now, it's just another inconvenience on the road of world intimidation.

Chertoff said the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Guantanamo prisoner Salim Ahmed Hamdan that required the United States to treat detainees under Geneva Conventions standards showed international law's entry into the U.S. domain.

He also pointed to negotiations leading up to last month's interim agreement between the United States and the European Union on sharing personal information about trans-Atlantic airline passengers.

The Bush administration sought addresses, credit card details, phone numbers and other details for U.S.-bound European air passengers as a way to determine whether any should be turned back from entering the United States as a security risk.

"Some in the European Parliament argued that the fact the information was derived from Europeans coming to the U.S. meant that we should be forced in the United States to let Europe supervise and set the terms of how we make use of that information," Chertoff said.

I wonder how much he would like it if the European Union demanded the same from him and the rest of Bushco before being allowed to travel in their airspace. What makes us so special? Why should we have information on another country's citizens who have done nothing wrong except expressed an interest in spending their money in our country?

Who decided that Americs is the be all and end all of the globe? It's just like the arrogance of the World Series. What world? We barely tolerate Canada and we make those who are from other countries join our teams as individuals, not competitors for the title.

What I find really funny about this situation is that under almost any other circumstance in America, it pays to be of European descent. As if only they know what they are talking about.

Did I phrase that gently enough?