You have only your chains to lose. . .

. . .if you live in the Mideast. And, those chains are most often golden ones, tethered to the sense of entitlement and security of slavemasters like Saddam Hussein and Yassir Arafat. For years, America has been the object of criticism for two things: supporting Israel, and turning a blind eye to the the actions of repressive Arab statists and Islamist theocracies.

Well, now that the US has removed two of the most horrific regimes ever to crush humanity under their heels, it's time America got some credit. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen as long as nations like France and Germany prop up these dictatorships and mullahcracies with their cash. Sure, the US hasn't always placed such a high priority on governmental legitimacy when doing business around the world. We've been associated with any number of bad actors on the global stage, and that does not redound to our credit. Perhaps we bargained away the moral high ground for the sake of our own fleeting security and economic interests in the past, and it will probably not be the last time.

But, now that the right thing is being done (and there is no argument that it is somehow "wrong" to remove regimes like those in Iraq and Afghanistan), there seems to be a new standard applied in deciding whether or not it should be. It seems the left has now adopted a stance very similar to that of those they oppose. That is, moral righteousness is not enough. It must be accompanied by the approval and assistance of nations who have actively supported and empowered the wrongdoers in exchange for lucrative oil and high finance contracts.

Call me crazy, but this strikes me as the international equivalent of requiring FBI agents to obtain the blessing of the mob before arresting a known associate.