Whenever I want a reminder of how the rest of the world reacted to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, I enter “When Words Fail Us” into an Internet search engine and solemnly peruse the photographs. The powerful images of candle-lightings and American flags show that people around the world wept with us.

In my view, the single biggest tragedy since the attacks is how American leaders have squandered that good will. According to a Pew Global Attitudes Project survey released in June, opinions about the United States have darkened considerably over the past five years. Support for the war on terrorism is dropping. Most countries believe the world is now a more dangerous place because of the Iraq war, which was never popular. President Bush is widely disliked.

Confirmation that the U.S. kept terrorism suspects in secret prisons won’t help. Nor will the White House’s attempts to make the CIA exempt from military guidelines on prisoner treatment. While Americans argue over the semantics of “torture,” most of the rest of the world has made up its mind.

And it’s not a pretty picture.

Pumping irony. Because Spokane currently – but not always – has some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, calls for the feds to intervene have erupted. Gas stations in the same region almost always charge similar prices. That was true when it was about a buck a gallon.

So how would the feds go about proving a price-fixing conspiracy, which is the only law that could possibly pique their interest? And shouldn’t investigations like that be launched regardless of price? Fixing prices is wrong, whether it’s 39 cents a gallon or $3.19.

It seems the real complaint is that prices are high. But that’s not against the law. Seen health care prices lately? Those aren’t illegal and they’ve risen much faster than the price of gas. Yet nobody calls for investigations. What’s more, U.S. health care prices are high compared with other countries, too. Can’t say that about gasoline.

This insistence on comparatively cheap fuel is uniquely American, which is ironic when you consider Americans consume and demand more gasoline than any other nation. Which, of course, drives up the price.

You set the price. So how much should a gallon of gasoline cost? And how do you arrive at that figure?

Electoral appeasement. “If I had my way, he wouldn’t be secretary of defense now. I would have accepted his resignation after Abu Ghraib. I have lost confidence in him.”

Yet another tiresome anti-Rumsfeld rant by a lefty politician or pundit, right? Wrong. It’s U.S. Senate candidate Mike McGavick in an article in Tuesday’s New York Times.

The Washington state Republican is not alone. Other GOP candidates who have kicked Rumsfeld include U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis of West Virginia, U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi of Ohio, U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Kean of New Jersey and U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio.

Can politicians really get away with criticizing a secretary of defense without mentioning The Decider who keeps him employed? Stay tuned.