Doug, the more I think about it the more I am surprised by your reaction. I admit that I am ranting, but what kind of sympathy do you expect me to show? I "survived" the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 - the government propaganda was, of course, relentelss but nobody on the streets was gloating about "kicking ass" even though Czechs are not particularly liked in Poland. Most people were silent if not ashamed. Ditto for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. I could even feel some sympathy with the British, whose majority opposed their government's decision to wage this war. But here, where the great majority support the war, Bush enjoys the highest approavl rating of all presidents, and the majority of opinions expressed in letters to editor and comments to web news (not to mention the news themselves) belong to the gloating triumphalism and anti-European bigotry genre? My feelings toward your countrymen are similar to those toward Germans in the 1930s - I have the highest respect for those few who had the guts to oppose Hitler, and nothing but contempt for those who marched in goose step with him. Or perhaps I should feel sympathy toward them too?
I have to admit that anti-US ranting on this particular list is misplaced and I should probably refrain form it - but how about human sympathy for people like me, who feel being trampled by gloating warmongering crowds?
Wojtek