"We love Americans. We hate Bush"

Sorry for being away for a bit. My wife and I were traveling around Europe and into Russia so blogging was the furthest thing from my mind. But a funny thing happened as we came into contact with dozens of people from all walks of life, all different countries and with as varied political leanings as you could find... we found that one thing united them all - every single one of them hated Bush. We would ask our Russian and Estonian guides about if they had any antagonism towards Americans - and without fail they would say "No, we love Americans. We just hate Bush." Whether it's the Brits, the Germans or any place in between, they all are frustrated with the man in charge.

And I found myself agreeing with them. It's not because I like their politics - Europe's socialistic tendencies frighten me... some of whom pay income taxes as high as 50%, and yet they still have to pay VAT and various other nickel and dime type rip-offs. What connected me to them was that we all agreed that he's walking around like we're the big man on campus... and I ALWAYS hated that guy. I certainly don't want to be that guy. What surprised me even more was how influential the US is to these people. They are essentially being forced into a US government led war, not just in Iraq but the middle east as a whole. They are being told they are either with us or they are against us. Their countries are being held hostage by leaders who dare not defy the will of Bush. Despite that, for some odd reason American culture, American people and American freedoms are still held in high regard. How long that can last when we continue to elect people who feel that the US has a moral obligation to police the world and launch preemptive wars (without declaring them) against other sovereign nations? Tell me, how can we not take our duty as voting American citizens seriously and finally elect someone who treats others the way we'd like to be treated?
-Andrew