Here we go, operating behind enemy lines.

To start, we have a reflection of PNAC's principle of "global leadership" for America, which is just a polite way for them to say "America's better than everyone else." Stelzer asserts that the U.S. is going to have to lead the world out of this economic slump. Well, we had better try and lead the charge, since we're responsible for it. At least, that's what he's implying by saying we're the "locomotive tugging the major economies of the world behind it," isn't he?

Stelzer claims that we have "urged" other nations to do X, Y, and Z to get their economies rolling. He goes on to say that our advice has been met with the responses of "the "non" and "nein" to which Americans have grown accustomed of late." First off, that is just bullshit rhetoric that has no place in this discussion, as it's just trying to stirr up the anti-French and anti-German sentiments over the Iraq war. More importantly, why the hell should they give us any reposnse besides "non" and "nein"? Clearly, European nations have some work to do, but why should they listen to us? We can't get our shit together with our own economy, so how exactly does that put us in the position to be giving advice to others on how to fix their economic woes?

Hey, why don't we suggest that Germany, France, and other nations institue a huge tax cut for the rich?