Continuing OT:
Ed, I repectfully disagree that the UK is with us. That Austrailia is with us. I think the polling in their countries indicate the people are not with us...the powers that be are however. I think that is a distinctive difference.
As for what intelligence of France, Russia, or any others have...we have learned a powerful lesson.....and the years the UN went to Iraq and stated they don't have anything left....why was that not heard. Isn't it hard to prove a negative..They claim they did not have anything, the UN Swiss Blitzer could not find anything, does that mean they did not have it. So France wanted to life the Ban...right or wrong. Here is the question...did they have WMD's.
And for the record, I don't really give a shit about the Iraq Freedom. But if I did, don't we have a responsbility then to do the same to China, or N. Korea...we originally did not fight this war for freedom, we fought it to avoid a mushroom cloud over the USA in NY or Washington DC or Charlotte, NC.....but we did not find theWMD program that advanced. And you know what, I don't care what Russia, France, UK or any other intel said now. Cause we were wrong and did not fund sufficient WMD;s to attack.
I know you served in the service and I respect that. And I do support our troops and wish them a safe return when that day comes. Pulling out now would not be wrong cause we created additional turmoil in their country. While they might have freedom, I question for how long, for what sacrifice and for what benefit. If we fight for freedom and thats what its really about...we have lots of others to go after also...China, N. Korea, Pakistan, ....you signing up for those too?
But when we as consumers punish another country for doing that they feel is right I guess we have that right. But we do have to note that we produce very little in terms of manufactured goods in the USA and we need the world with us on trade too. I can tell you that the Anti American sentiment is causing American Brands to be hurt abroad. Brands like Coke, McDonalds, Gap etc all have declines in international sales. Coincedence, I think NOT.
We are in a global trading era...and we are bringing less daily to that party.
Again, these boycotts only create a spiral of who can hurt who the most. We can try to do this, but if we export more and own more companies than they do...don't we have more exposure and risk abroad? I think we hurt ourselves more when we boycott as consumers. And remember this our government supports not boycott of France.