Editorial
Posturing costs U.S. seat on rights panel

Well, it's not just us. Someone else has noticed a certain stridency and arrogance about the new Bush administration.

It's the U.N. Commission on Human rights. For the first time since it was established in 1947, the United States has lost its seat on the commission.

Diplomats attributed this defeat to international irritation over the Bush administration's stands on global warming, missile defense and AIDs medication.

Annually for the last 10 years, the American delegation to the commission pushed for condemnation of China's wretched treatment of its own citizens. Each year the effort failed, but by a narrowing margin.

Bush's posturing helps a lot of us feel good, but it has cost us a valuable forum. And that's just for starters.