Bush again talking about coalitions...yawn

"America has never been at a lower point in the minds of citizens around the world," says Thomas Mann, a political analyst at Brookings Institution, a liberal-leaning think tank. "Our relations with other countries, including natural allies, have seldom been as strained. To be associated with President Bush and current American policy is a political liability around the world right now."

"This is about the spread of freedom and liberty," Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), said Thursday in explaining the message Bush will carry to Europe. "That's what NATO has stood up for from the very beginning. ... Many of the members of NATO would not be free and at liberty themselves had it not been for the sacrifices of others, including sacrifices of the United States." (Comment by Chris: Oh please, the guilt pitch again)

Madeleine Albright, who was former President Clinton's secretary of state, says Bush would attract more international support if he simply acknowledged that his administration has taken some wrong turns in Iraq.

"It would not hurt if President Bush admitted that there have been mistakes," Albright said. "That is different from apologizing. One way to help persuade allies that they need to help is to say `OK, we made some mistakes here. We now need your help.' I don't think that's beyond the capability of a great nation to do."

Go Madeleine!