The Attack on American Foreign Policy

And now the most interesting two minutes in television, the latest from the wartime grapevine.

Yet another French cabinet minister is attacking American foreign policy. First foreign minister Hubert Vedrine said American policy in the aftermath of President Bush's "axis of evil" speech was "simplistic." Now Minister for Overseas Cooperation Charles Josselin has criticized President Bush for "Texas-style diplomacy," adding that, "France for its part considers that the logic of law and not that of force should govern international relations."

The European criticism of American foreign policy has alarmed one continental diplomat, Javier Solana of Spain, the European Union's foreign policy chief. Solana said America should be treated with more respect, “We must speak the truth among friends, but you don't necessarily have to do it with a megaphone. The relationship between the United States and the EU is crucial and we should not play with that relationship."

Some of the captives being held at Guantanamo Bay are having second thoughts about whether the Jihad they joined was such a great idea. American Navy Lieutenant Mohammad Saiful-Islam, the Muslim Navy chaplain looking after the detainees, says some of the younger ones have told him they now think their Muslim leaders may have misled them about the meaning of "jihad." He told the AP, "They thought fighting is the ultimate Jihad, a short way to heaven. They do feel somewhat that they made the wrong choice at the wrong time."

Guess who turns out to be the largest campaign money recipient from Global Crossing, that other recently bankrupt company which, like Enron, spread a lot of political money around. It's Mr. campaign finance reform himself, Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain. There's no evidence McCain ever did a thing specifically to help Global Crossing, despite its employees' $31,000 in campaign donations. But McCain says he is nonetheless "tainted" by the company's contributions. "All politicians," he said, "are under a cloud."