I really feel sad for you that you believe this:

What say we poll the Arabs, Iranians, and Africans about gay marriage or abortion rights and use that to guide our policies? Makes about as much sense as worrying about their opinion on our defense efforts.

Is a good point or something. You actually fail to comprehend that other nations can affect US foreign policy, and their opinions of the US materially impact whether they cooperate with the US, work against it, or merely ignore it.

Let's put it this way: The other people in your life, your neighbourhood, your job: Do their opinions of you matter?

Of course they do. It will impact whether you get that promotion at work. What Christmas present they buy for you. Whether they feel inclined to tell you shoelaces are untied. Can you live without their love? Yes. You can be a solitary loner, or even a hated outcast.

Does that mean (as you have implied above) you should ask them what to do about a dispute with your wife or your personal finances? Or that their opinions on those matters for themselves should guide you? No, but it still says life's easier generally when you're not a dick to everyone.

Digby made the observation that Republicans can't think in the abstract and anecdotally I'm seeing it increasing as true. They're incapable of generalizing events or seperating their personal feelings and examining things dispassionately. No matter how you cut it, it's tougher being hated than loved. I mean, the whole foreign policy idea of "isolating" or "containing" is premised on getting lots of nations to dislike one nation, and work against their interests. That's why Bush won't talk to Iran, they must be isolated. So if isolation is bad for Iran, could it maybe stand to reason it might not be good for America either?

But that simple truth evades them. Rather, they evade the simple truth. Only willful denial can explain such ability to dodge the point (rather than "miss" it, which implies one was trying to get it in the first place).

I did enjoy the other observation made perhaps unseriously earlier that the people here who can't understand why anyone should care whether America is liked or not are perhaps revealling the mindset of people who don't exactly light up a room with love when they come in anyway, so questions like "What's the advantage of being liked anyway?" are more sincere than we've given credit for.

As soon as I come into possession of a rat's ass, I'll trade it for all the goodwill the Arab world has to offer.

Enjoy the $10/gallon gasoline when Saudi Arabia decides to sell its oil exclusively to China bub.

And next time a US city gets drowned in a hurricaine, and your inept president is playin' his git-ar, will you wonder if the Canadians will show up to help out?

Or did you think this poll was exclusively about the Arab world? It's not just them getting sick of your shit.

I do wonder how many books that make the NY Times bestsellers list manage to not ever get reviewed.

It would be interesting to discern any pattern.

Congrats. I'm about 2/3 through the book.

How big the false indignation would be from the right?

I only give a shit to the extent that this clown is a rank hypocrite, since he made himself out to be some moral crusader.

But 2010 will be here soon enough, and perhaps the voters of LA will come back to their senses and kick this guy to the curb.

the indignation was awesome

YAAWN?

Smug little shit.

TV is for conservatives.

It's the "No liberals on the teevee" rule Atrios noted.

I think it's in the constitution. Amazing those founding fathers foresaw Television.