Airstrip One

Time to be nice to W

George Bush has attempted to stimie one ill thought out bit of internationalist nonsense, the International Criminal Court, by stimying another, the UN presence in Bosnia.

And check out the arithmetic from a hostile diplomat:

The diplomat added: "The Americans have already got 99.8 per cent of what they want on this and they are ready to bring down all UN peacekeeping operations to get an extra 0.1 per cent.

Of course there are a number of caveats to add here. The main occupation force is actually under NATO control (so it will be support staff that will go), the US is bound to sign up to some face saving compromise and the silly ideas about imposing democracy on the Middle East are still live and kicking.

But it's an improvement on Gore.