From reading about the EU, your comments appear to be spot on. What benefit is there to the UK to behave in this manner over the EU budget?

Also I want to clarify some very thoughtless remarks I made on 8 Dec 2005 in Frans column.

I deeply apologize for any upset my remarks caused. As an American I am having a great deal of trouble with the now known fact of just how involved the American government is involved in all the various aspects of the atrocities associated with Torture, Renditions, Secret Prisons etc. Though I love my country, It makes me feel dirty, deeply ashamed, beyond outrage and physically sick to my stomach. When I saw your reaction to my comments, I realized what my state of mind was, and decided I needed a few days off Blogs to get my thinking straightened out.

The European Tribune did an outstanding job of highlighting the various aspects of these crimes last week on their pages. Frankly it was almost a relief to see that your press made it at least visible. That is so much more than the American Corporately owned media did here. I have long admired the manner in which Europeans seem able to so much more sanely think situations through, and formulate possible outcomes and solutions. So, I responded like an angry and scared child wanting my older and wiser cousins to come rescue us, instead of as a sane adult. Living in the U.S.A. right now feels like being in an insane asylum, with the inmates in charge.

This is by no means excuses my thoughtlessness, and is offered only as an explanation of my state of mind.

I said After all Bush can't carpet bomb Europe or the corporations would be very angry that their markets are now rubble. I should instead have asked, of what or why is Europe afraid of what the US would do, and why are they not reacting more strongly against these crimes?

You replied I would hope the reason Bush could not carpet bomb Europe would be that the Joint Chiefs of Staff would refuse. I would sincerely hope so.

You know Migeru, I too would like to hope the Joint Chiefs of staff would behave responsibly. Yet with each day that passes, there are new revelations of complete insanity, lies and a yet deeper lowering of conscience and morality by these people. Never in my 60+ years have I seen our government controlled by so many sick, twisted, lying, depraved and perverted pyscopathic individuals.

Input from the Military is rejected by the Bush Administration and, dissenters, with the civilians in charge, will have their careers and lives destroyed. The ONLY thing that seems to catch the attention of these awful people are bottom line corporate wealth and their next great scheme to totally loot the American treasury for generations to come. So I am not sure just how much effect the advice of the Joint Chiefs or any military person would have. And this Criminal Cabal somehow believes it is their "Divine Right" to strike out using Military technology against perceived enemies.

When I used the term "dramatically alter", you responded with "Dramatically alter" meaning the rendition flights would stop over to refuel in North Africa? Perhaps I have misunderstood or not read enough, but I still think that European Pressure would force the Bushitas to back down. My reasons are:

1. Europe, using diplomacy, has better relations with Mid East countries than does the United States. That translates in more trade with Europe.

2. THE EU is perceived as "the group" with whom the Mid East prefers to do all its business after the treatment they have received the last 5 years from the Bushita Cabal.

3. Iran (if they can ever agree on an Oil Minister) and Argentina have already adjusted their countrys' monetary systems to switch from "Petrol Dollars" to "Euro Dollars". Other oil producing countries would follow in retaliation for the bullying hubris of the Bushitas. Perhaps this change would be good for Europe, but in reality it would cause the American economy to completely crash. It would be a public humiliation for the Bush regime. Yet, at the end of the day, it is the 98% of Americans on the lower side of the economic scale that would pay the most penalizing price.