It was inevitable – now the international press laughs openly at Bush as Putin gets in a “tough jab” (Quicktime video) at Bush’s expense at the G8 summit press conference.

BUSH: I talked about my desire to promote institutional change in parts of the world, like Iraq, where there’s a free press and free religion. And I told him that a lot of people in our country would hope that Russia will do the same thing. I fully understand, however, that there will be a Russian-style democracy. PUTIN: We certainly would not want to have same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq, quite honestly. BUSH: Just wait.

Not mentioned in the transcript, but heard and shown
on screen as cameras cut away from Putin after his jibe to show journalists cracking up. Bush’s “Just wait.” is hardly heard over the laughter. Yep, we’ve lost the respect we earned during Wars I and II, just as III threatens to break out. And we did it by invading Iraq, and pissing off the Islamicists worldwide, but we’ll never admit it. Meanwhile, remember when the U.S. used to be a big player in the Middle East peace process? Good times. While reading the comments at ThinkProgress.org,
I ran across an old blogquaintance, Patriot Boy. I think I’ll go there for a good laugh, although a rather sad one.