Reality Is Overrated

President Bush is isolated form the world. That in itself is not unusual. Bush has admitted that he doesn't read much and relies on his advisers to provide what he thinks is an objective report on world events. In the current issue of Time magazine, John Bolton, former US ambassador to the UN answers ten questions and provides a glimpse into the sort of insulation that our president has wrapped himself in.

Here's a particularly telling bit:

Q: What do you think is the root cause of the anti-American sentiment sweeping the nations of the world? -BEN WONG CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

A: I don't think there's anti-American sentiment sweeping the world.

The only question is whether he actually believes that. Judging from the inability for anyone in the Bush administration to admit they ever did anything wrong, I suspect he does.

Another chilling exchange:

Q: How should Iranians feel about the unfriendly threats of war issued by the U.S.? -ALI FARROKHIAN, TEHRAN

A: Our concern is not with the Iranian people, and I think we've gone out of our way to make it clear. If it ever did come to the use of military force, we need to make it clear to the people of Iran that this is not aimed against them.

Isn't that what this administration told the people of Iraq before unleashing "Shock And Awe" on them?

Of course, Bolton was simply one of dozens, or even hundreds, of ideologues in the Bush administration who have been openly hostile toward the organization they were supposed to head / oversee / work with.