U.S. defiance at U.N. now turns to torture

It's disappointing to see the Bush administration steadily leading the United States into pariah status at the United Nations and other international organizations.

In its latest departure from U.N. consensus, Washington has placed itself in the hard-to-defend position of opposing a plan to strengthen a treaty seeking to end torture.

The protocol in question involves visits to prisons as a way to help enforce the anti-torture convention, which the United States ratified 13 years ago.

In a particularly weak rationale, American diplomats say allowing outside observers into state prisons might constitutionally infringe on states' rights. Surely a nation that has nothing to hide can overcome that legal speed bump.

Indeed, in joining with nations like Nigeria, Iran, China and Cuba in opposing the protocol, the United States does appear to be inexplicably defensive.

Some speculate that the hypersensitivity is due to the detention center for al-Qaida suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Only Monday, the administration illogically cut support for the U.N. Population Fund. That followed decisions to back out of a protocol on climate control and talks on biological weapons.

The United States does not have the luxury of becoming an international loner.

It needs to start paying attention to its friends while it still has them.