The past week may well be remembered in years future as the time the US Bush administration lost their global plot. For while there has been a gradual and pernicious shift away from a specific war on terrorism to a war on the the USA's favourite longer term flogging boys, a Bush emboldened by popular acclaim in his response to the former is seeing the opportunity to up the ante. ...So I'm writing him a letter...

Dear Mr Bush,

We "felt your pain" as pathetically misled matyrs targeted US symbols of power and the money system. We understand that any country, no matter how "advanced" or "civilized" must respond to attacks to not only their territory, but also to their way of life.

We also understand that nothing can create popularism for a leadership than a real enemy, a real war, and nationalism bordering on jingoism. We see that in our part of the world daily. But it is not from countries who proclaim themselves "...leaders of the free world...".

We understand the US will only support "globalization" to the extent that she can control and lead it. Many of us can support a war on terrorism, but not a continued war to boost a long time right wing Republican agenda, and America's increasing leadership over a dangerously tender world system. We DO know the difference.

We see Americans visiting our shores frequently. We admire your technological acheivements. What is more most of us admire the fact that the US is one of the very few countries where you can be born in poverty, but rise to the very top. We see a country where people like Colin Powell can do this - where abilities and hard work are valued as much or more than breeding, class or caste.

However as a young country venturing outside, you are prone to mistakes. In Vietnam, your arrogant view that you could win any war on a foriegn territory was dealt a heavy blow by an impoverished but dedicated enemy. You failed to kill Castro on countless occasions. Your much vaunted movie industry creates racist, immature, light stuff distributed worldwide which pales into insignificance when compared to the mature European film industries in France and Italy. Two or three administrations and countless US led summits have failed to halt increasing tensions in Palestine and Israel and the Middle East. Now you must return to the Philippines yet again.

Subsequent to the war on terrorism we have seen:

• Media commentators who dared to question the government line sacked and attacked by a popular tide of sentiment that you encouraged. Free speech is no longer tolerated in America.

• Time announcing that the man you claim led the most significant peace time attack on US soil passed over for the International Man of the Year by an American hero.

• Your arrogant alteration of the Olympic pledge in Salt Lake City from a pledge of international unity to one which singled out your own America. Is this your feeling - we should all be united - as long as the USA has a special place?

• Providing an easy answer on encouraging an extreme nationalism that may unite a country, but has put back the development of global citizens on American soil at least several years.

• Your strategy of levering your popularity to amass your people against your own self-proclaimed evil axis. We don't blame the people of Iran, of massing in protest on the 23rd anniversary of the Victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in Tehran today. So you remember the circumstances of Khomeini's accession? Iranian reformers know much more about reform than you ever will Mr Bush. Iran - really? If this was your way of ensuring Republican election wins back home you may have underestimated the intelligence of the American people.
  

We understand that the Enron case has come at a difficult time for your agenda. It is just one end-product of capitalism gone mad, that along with election funding and cultural imperialism, exposes the dark side of an America that has neverthless acheived much in it's very short existance. In a world where America can do no wrong, something is very amiss. Deal with it.

Explain to us why the gross election funding in America is any better than handing out 20 baht notes attached to voting slips to poor people in Thailand provinces? Explain to us how your obsequious press is any better than our own government-controlled press in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, North Korea, Burma and Laos? The methods may differ - but the result is the same..

Finally, what has happened to the values of free speech and liberty that makes America great? Or in your haste to win the battle, is Osama bin Laden, dead or alive, already winning the war?...