Alas, at the moment, both the US and Russia are led by thugs. Putin is the kindler, gentler Stalin, content to murder innocents in Chechnya and the occasional journalist rather than millions, prepared to blantantly rig elections while putting forth the illusion of democracy. Bush represents the very worst in America, blind idealogy driven by corporate interests and the quest for imperial power unencumbered by the rule of law or the Constitution, Nixon writ large. The difference is the Russian people' s very long tradition and comfort with strong central leadership, witness Putin's high popularity. But Bush is hugely unpopular because he has turned what America used to stand for on it's head. Bush has actively attempted to destroy the Constitution by making the exexutive branch all-powerful and by ignoring laws he doesn't agree with. He continues to promote torture and holding prisoners without meaningful legal recourse. He continues to push America towards both moral and fiscal bankruptcy with an illegal war and prodigious debt. He has shown, time after time, that he is a man of little intellect, less imagination, and complex father issues that have played themselves out in ways that have resulted in the horrible deaths of hundreds of thousands. I wouldn't trust George Bush with any decision that requried sound judgement. He has none. He is a little man thrust into the public eye by Repub movers and shakers who saw in him the perfect puppet to help them fulfill their various agendas, all of which have proven to be ruinous to this once great nation. It is tragic indeed that many see Putin as more trustworthy. The difference is that Putin is a pragmatist, a realist, however ruthless. Bush is a cipher, an empty slate, whose languge exposes him as the amiable but hopelessly confused fool that he is.

Not just the British and French but the entire world has no confidence in Bush. The Dixie Chicks had it partially right 7 years ago when they called GW an embarrassment to Texas. GW Bush is an embarrassment to the human race.

America's got to realise by now that since the Bush/Cheney kabal has held the reigns of power the notion of us being the world's "good guys" and everbody else the "bad guys" no longer holds water. Take the anti-missile defense being pushed for Poland and the Czech republic as an example. Why would Iran possibly want to attack Europe? ONLY in retaliation for an American invasion. That 'missile shield' is meant to support U.S. OFFENSIVE operations.

I think the people of europe and worldwide have less confidence in Bush than Putin because they've looked into his eyes and seen his soles.

The title of this article should be -

British, French and the rest of the planet: Less confidence in America to do the right thing in world than Russian.

That's right folks, America's bankrupt third world economy is a laughing stock. The US is officially Europe's bitch.

In that photo with Putin and Bush, Putin looks like, "what am I doing standing next to this DUMBASS!" .

While you're scratchin' your ANGER ITCH over bullsh*t,

your ass is being painted as a TARGET for Republican RAPISTS all over again.

Get some COMMON SENSE and vote for whoever is NOT REPUBLICAN.

It is not just the British and the French that feel this way. And it is also worth noting that Putin, the ex-KGB spook, is openly involved with mobsters turned oligarchs, murders, drugs, prostitution and a serious crackdown on freedom in Russia. But at least he keeps most of his crimes within his own country. A small consolation, but it does explain why Bush is considered to be even worse than Putin. Bush exports his crimes on a mass scale, and perpetrates them against innocents in other countries. The American people appear to be too cowardly, and too ignorant to stop him. And you people call the French cowards!!!! Oh the hypocrisy.

Why should this be any surprise that the British and French distrust Bush as much as the Americans for doing the right thing.

From Transterrestrial Musings:
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War Critics Decry Interminable And Unwinnable Conflict
January 15th, 1945

WASHINGTON (Routers) With the "Allied" forces continuing to be bogged down in the Ardennes Forest, many are questioning Roosevelt administration war policies, the unreasonable length of the war, and even whether or not it can be won.

The 7th Army's VI Corps is waging a desperate, and perhaps futile battle with German troops, surrounded on three sides in the Alsace region. A whole month after the beginning of the renewed German offensive, with almost twenty-thousand American troops dead in this battle alone, there remains no clear end in sight, or hope that the American lines can be closed.

There are serious questions about the competence of Generals Bradley and Patton, concerns that were only heightened shortly after the beginning of the battle, when two armies from Bradley's army group were removed from his command and placed under that of the British General Montgomery. General Montgomery's comments in a press conference a week ago have served only to buttress such legitimate doubts. He didn't even mention their names in describing the limited efforts to recapture lost ground, that remains unsuccessful, with the Germans continuing to take the initiative.

Many point out that these lengthy battles, and lengthy wars, are somehow indicative of a fundamental failure of American policy, not just in waging the war, but in the very decision to enter into it.

"It's not just that we're a whole month into this battle with no clear resolution or exit strategy. In a few more months, this war will have gone on as long as the Civil War," said one Republican critic of the administration. "And that one was Americans against Americans. We should have expected to do much better against Germans. After all, this war has now gone on twice as long as World War I, when we mopped up the Kaiser in a year and a half." He went on, "It's clearly the fault of this Roosevelt administration, that lied us into war, and then botched it. ...

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Read the whole thing at:
http://www.transterrestrial.com/archives/2008/03/war_critics_dec.html

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Diplomat: U.S. "threatened" countries that didn"t support Iraq war."

............... In the months leading up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals against friendly countries who withheld their support, spied on its allies, and pressed for the recall of U.N. envoys that resisted U.S. pressure to endorse the war, according to an upcoming book by a top Chilean diplomat..........

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/22/diplomat-us-threatened-countries-that-didnt-support-iraq-war/

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Most of the world and in this case Britain and France must be delusional to believe Warmonger like McPain really cares about global warming or human lives.

I thought only some Americans are in deep sleep, but again it seems like some Europeans are blinded by McPain's LIES as well!

People, don't be fool, McPain will say or do ANYTHING that helps to boost his Foreign Policy before November.

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Most of the "world' sees Bush exactly for what he is...a sociopath. He'd lie right to the face of Jesus and wouldn't blink an eye. And after re electing this CREEP, we have shown the world that the American voter is blind and clueless. I hope there is enough time after we "flush" the current "talking feces" out of the White House, to resurrect world respect for the United States, and recover our economy.

I remind these foreigners that 56 million Americans voted this guy a second term after he started a bogus war. Says mucho grande about our countrymen than just one bozo at the top. What was that mafia saying "the fish rots from the head".

It's been awhile since Russia pulled an "America" and invaded a country for no reason, like we did when we pulled a "Russia" and invade Iraq.

When our historical allies now look to now Russia as a more responsible world partner this says volumes about the frightening ineptitude of our current president. If there ever is a genuine need for military action (as opposed to the current calamity Doubya has created in Iraq) we could be left standing alone!
As China and India move towards becoming larger global consumers than the US we will need the cooperation and respect of other nations even more. Surely Doubya should realize this - every job we have lost to these nations has been of great assistance in their development.
I think the very best we can hope for right about now would be that situations remain static, and do not grow any worse, until a new leader takes his place.