I think you fundamentally misunderstand what I have been trying to say - which probably means I haven't said it very well.  So I will take some time out and consider how to say it better.  This conversation seems to be laced with so many misconceptions that it may be better for me to start again.  My basic point would be this.  No national state or national leader acts in a vacuum.  All act in a global context of interstate relationships, some formal, enshrined in bilateral treaties or multi-lateral organisations, some informal.  All seek to maximise their national interest, but increasingly those national interests are inter-twined.  So to say that what Obama does doesn't effect Ireland,or (even if only in a small way) what Ireland does doesn't effect the USA is nonsensical.  To take even a small current example:  there is already concern in Ireland than Obama's proposed corporate tax changes will de-incentivise US corporations from locating or expanding some of their operations in Ireland.  Equally Irish companies are increasingly invested in the US, and are thus effected by tax changes, $ devaluations, interest rates etc.  Another example would be connerns about undocumented Irish immigrant to the US.  We live in an increasingly interconnected world.  To think of this simply through a nation state paradigm is to think of it in very 20th. century terms. Nationalism as an ideology is no longer equal or optimal to the task of addressing the problems of the 21st. century. However to think of it in other terms inevitably involves using supra and trans national concepts. This is normal in an EU context.  It seems more difficult to communicate this within the terms US political culture and debate..

Vote McCain for war without gain

Well, obviously, Obama will go on to become leader of the One World Government we'll have established by the time he finishes his third term.