Multilateralism, Multipolarism, Unilateralism
 

Much has been made about a new world order emerging, whatwith America exerting its power more brazenly than before, threatening to make irrelevent the UN and NATO (and all other countries, the Pope, and the popular will for that matter), while France, Germany, Russia, and China seek to increase their influence to counterbalance the United States, and Britain tries to work the multilateralist angle. Thoughts, and preferences?

As flawed as it may be, The UN is the only existing mechanism for working out disagreements on the world stage in ways other war.

Multilateralism is Democracy on a global scale and again, flawed but a whole hell of a lot better than imposing ones will through force.

We need more Multilateral institutions not less. We need a world court and a free, open, trans[parent and real World Trade Organization as opposed to the secretive ashadow organization currently holding that title.

Especially as the counter proposal to Multilateralism is Bush's schoolyard bully/moron "You're with us or against us" threats.

To reject Multilateralsim is to reject basic democratic principles when they apply to other people.

I happen to agree. The European Union should take much more of a cooperative attitude with the United States, Asia, etc.

I agree with most of what's been said but I'm not too enthusiastic about letting the Pope in on geopolitics. While I realize that he has an incredible faith-based influence over many people, that didn't exactly have the best results in Europe during the middle ages. As a former soldier, I'd be hard pressed to go to war in order to "Convert the Infidels!" Just sayin'

Apparently you haven't paid much attention to the Vatican the last 50 some odd years. If we are going back 1000 years to point out what the Church did wrong, can I do the same of Europe?

Hmmm ... I think that they had their hand in each other's pudding so much of the time that it's kind of hard to differentiate who's fault is whose and for what. At least the U.S. takes a stab at trying to keep the two separate. :/