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Europe and the rest of the world are blaming the US for failing the world's poor and destroying the environment. Tensions are emerging between those who want our money (Britain and most of the world) and the US even before the latest Earth Summit (which is meant to blame the USA for everything, as well as, take as much money from us as possible) in Johannesburg. See August 26th London Times.

Hmmm, now how many colonies did the USA have around the world? How many people did we enslave in Africa, Asia, and the rest of the world? Didn't the British Empire empirically control 1/3 of the world, what about France, Holland, Germany, Spain etc… Yet the world is blaming the USA because the world is poor.

Let those wonderful nations that put these people in poverty, used their cheap labor, and stole their minerals pay for the mess they created.

THE USA IS NOT TO BLAME. Perhaps Europe should look themselves in the mirror for most of the problems of the world. The third world is also to blame for their problems. They often created their mess through their corrupted leaders. The USA has no share in the blame, and we should refuse to accept any guilt. Perhaps the rest of the world should learn to fix their problems, instead of using the USA, Christians, Jews or Israel as whipping boys to blame all their own failings on.

Two last questions. Couldn't the poor in the world have been helped by giving all the money it cost to create this conference to them? Wouldn't the environment be better off with out the waste of fossil fuels it took to get to this conference? If these people don't care enough to send their money to the poor and help the environment, why should we?

They were never right.

Organizations like "Ducks Unlimited" proved that nearly 40 years ago without the help of long-haired maggot- infested, flea-ridden stink-assed Anarchists who are funded by other lunatics...

In the coming months and years more and more suits will be brought against these Eco-Liars asking for documented proof, proof they will never be able to provide and the monies provided them will begin to dry up...

Anyone who doubts that the Socialists are using environmentalism as a stalking horse for enforced global redistribution of wealth need only glance at this "summit" to have their doubts dispelled.

This whole confab is almost indistinguishable in its rhetoric from the "Millions for Reparations" hate fest last week. It's all "You owe us!" just in different languages.

Sounds like the opening ceremony was a real wingding, though. All they needed was Bubba and his bongos and it would have been just like old times. Too bad.

I'm surprised the New York Times allowed such politically incorrect comments to be published! Someone on the newspaper must have assumed Bjorn Lomberg is the run of the mill radical "sustainable habit" Green. Rest assured they won't be making that mistake again. Lomberg is a true breath of fresh air in the overheated hothouse of environmental assumptions which basically tend to promote bigger government and push the realization of an idealized environmental state over human needs. Lomberg points out the conference in Johannesburg misses the big picture which is that a lot of environmental damage in the developing world is due to the fact people have to survive first and think about nature later. The buzzword of "sustainability" would simply doom millions to an inferior and wretched existence just so affluent Western greens can feel good about themselves. If there was genuine concern for the environment, we'd junk Kyoto and all the totems of the modern environmental movement and get the Third World into the 21st century as quickly as possible. Perhaps the U.S can help to lead the world to a new environmental ethic that gives every human being an opportunity to have a rich and fulfilling life and which balances environmental protection while making sure people's wants and needs are satisfied. Which is precisely the environmental policy we need today.

This is a fine article by a clear and rational thinker. Third world countries ARE far more destructive of the environment than more developed countries, for precisely the reasons stated here. Witness the envirionmental hazards that were revealed when the excesses of East Germany and parts of the of the former Soviet Union collapsed, and opened up.
The Kyoto Treaty is a fraud, nine ways from Sunday. Only leftists and enviro-nazis take it seriously. Of course, such types will constitute a solid majority at Johannesburg.

Congressman Billybob

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The last paragraph of this article is the most important.

"Such a move would regain for the US the moral highground.......But if the the US is willing to commit the resources to ensure development, it could emerge as a savior."

A lot of conservatives and many, many freepers will loudly complain should Bush follow Lomborg's advice on this. Although it would be cheaper than Kyoto, this "committing the resources" will be a sizable increase in foreign aid.

Recall the increase in foreign aid that came about when Bush made his UN speech in Monterrey, Mexico that was used to slap down the the notion of a UN tax. There were many BushBash threads here regarding that increase in foreign aid.

Also recall that Bush followed the advice of NASA scientist Hansen on taking the moral high ground in regard US emissions of pollutants. Although this path left CO2 as voluntary, it set strict limits on CO, methane, CFC, soot particles, NOx, VOCs, etc. Many were displeased with this.

It is a no-win situation for Bush. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.