[andygrif]

It's a difficult subject punky (don't worry no red coming from me)!

I think it is very arrogant of the Grauniad [sic] but I also think it was somewhat light-hearted (at least I hope so).

That said, Americans (at the risk of classifying an entire nation) are far more insular than many other nationalities. More generally this particularly effects the more rural areas and places like the Deep South. There is a more serious underlying message that the Guardian is sending in that many Americans simply don't understand the consequences of foreign policies.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't their fault, it's all about what they are fed. I lived in the US for six months and I really struggled to get balanced news coverage but more worrying was the virtual lack of pretty much all foreign news.

It's a chicken and egg situation, in that people don't ask for it so the networks don't give it, so the people don't ask for it.

America is only really waking up to the fact that there is a world outside of their continent...bear in mind the current President didn't even have a passport before taking office - likewise most Americans also don't have a passport. Again, not their fault - everything they need (climate, commerce, etc) is contained at home - and if it's not then it's available over the borders in Mexico or Canada (and you don't need a passport to go there).

You're right though Punky, it is their choice to make - but they need to be aware of possible consequences of making that choice. It's never our place to tell anyone (at home or abroad) who to vote for.