I'm divided on this question. I definitely share some of the sentiments
you expess. At the same time, if we don't at least listen to voices of
dissent we play straight into the hands of the extremists who would label
us "selfish, arrogant, insensitive to the needs and thoughts of others".
I actually think that Bush is doing the expediant thing by hearing him out.

Sure....in theory we could tell everyone to #$ck off who disagrees with us.
But that will produce a rapid polarisation which would be detrimental.

I think we are schizophrenic in our dealings with the world.
We *really* like to portray ourselves as altruistic, merciful, benign
loving "parent nation".........but just so long as everybody else does what
we think is right......
So in reality .....we do our fair share of threatening and sabre rattling in an
attempt to preserve the status quo. It's pretty easy to quite like the status quo
when you are the richest most successful powerful nation the world has ever
seen.

The big problem with the idea that we can just take what we need......is that
it contravenes so much of what we have historically stood for (and currently do).
If its okay for the more powerful to take from the weak.....why should this also
not be applied on the individual level.

Ironically...in the past ..... the way we might have dealt with this kind of thing
would be to threaten to back certain rogue nations who would be a viable and
willing threat to Saudi Arabia........characters like Saddam Hussein.