College Republican Federation of Virginia

If it can be said that only Nixon could have gone to China, then only George W. Bush could have convened an international climate meeting that produced nothing, made almost no progress and still managed to make the news worldwide. This is not meant as a criticism of the Administration, in fact I think that this meeting was absolutely in the interest of the U.S. and I applaud the President for doing it. Like Nixon’s famed trip to Communist China, this climate meeting offers a floundering Bush the opportunity to refocus his administration on something, anything, other than Iraq. Make no mistake, I am not suggesting that he should drink Europe’s climate kool-aid and join Kyoto and sing koombaya while letting our economy implode. I am suggesting that this meeting has given Bush the opportunity to do the one thing that Clinton failed to do and that made Kyoto such bad medicine for the U.S., namely to use our power and influence to our advantage and take control of international negotiations on climate change so that any agreement that results protects U.S. economic interests and prosperity, something Kyoto absolutely failed to do. Because of his refusal to re-submit the Kyoto treaty to the Senate for consideration and his seven years of vocal skepticism, any international action Bush takes on the climate issue will be seen as a breakthrough and as progress, even if it is to start back at square one, which is precisely where the U.S. needs to be. In that regard, Bush should continue with his climate meetings even after the UN General Assembly session is over, emphasizing the need to succeed Kyoto and placing the U.S. at the forefront of any future negotiations.