The Last Hurrah

By Creature

While the president worries about his legacy it's becoming increasing clear that the legacy he is leaving for the United States is that of a weakened superpower that must now plead its case to a world that clearly has the upper hand.

Bush begs NATO:

President Bush appealed to NATO allies on Tuesday to provide more troops with fewer national restrictions for the alliance's most dangerous mission in Afghanistan, hours before a summit of allied leaders.

North Korea toys with us:

"Because after the nuclear test, we have gained a defensive position against those who are trying to suppress us. Now we are in a very confident position and so we are ready to come back to the talks any time," Kim told reporters.

Iran, well they just flat out win:

"[Iranian President] Ahmadi-Nejad's hand may in fact have never been stronger. With an ambitions nuclear program, the world's third largest oil reserves, a massive army and ballistic missile arsenal he's also gained huge popularity on the so called Arab street by supporting Hezbollah's recent fight against Israel.
...
Either way Tehran is now clearly a necessary destination for key players in the Middle East. "

And the fight-them-over-there argument doesn't seem to be working so well either:

He described al-Qaeda in Iraq as the "dominate organization of influence in al-Anbar," surpassing all other groups, the Iraqi government and U.S. troops "in its ability to control the day-to-day life of the average Sunni."

The last days of empire are upon us.

(Cross-posted at State of the Day.)