What does the US want?

It looks like my last effort to post failed and I lost the message I had 
written, so, briefly...  This war is more about the right of the US to do 
whatever it believes to be in its interest than about oil. It is consistent 
with Bush's economic policies in places that have little to do with 
oil(Argentina, steel tariffs). This stance is as much in opposition to local 
opponents (Powell, Gore),who believe in the US maintaining a hegemonic posture 
as world leader, as to any international foes.  

No one in Europe has any interest in supporting the US in  this direction.  
Tony Blair has taken the position that by getting close to the US he can 
influence it, but he has little to show for his effort. The real question now 
is how dangerous would it be to break with the US.  The dominant strand in the 
US government is acting like it couldn't care less what Europe thinks.
  Europe's present manner of exercising power is highly ideological, adopting a 
number of substantive issues of concern to the world (global warming, ICC, 
etc).  Part and parcel of this is the bitter feeling among European liberals 
that Rwandas should not be allowed to happen.  This war may finally discredit 
anyone in Europe who wants to remain friends with the US, and then we will see 
a full fledged strategy emerge.

Steven Sherman