The US prides itself for its Democracy, Rule of Law, Civil Freedoms and Constitution and models it for the world.
We know Bush is not America and America is not Bush but the world doesnt. But here is an example of loss of moral authority. This is what happens if you dont practice what you are preaching:
China Says Web Controls Follow the West's Lead
By JOSEPH KAHN
http://www.nytimes.com/...
U.S. Says China Boosts Internet Monitoring By FOSTER KLUG, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - A State Department official told lawmakers Wednesday that China's efforts to manipulate the Internet have increased in the last year, "sending a chilling message to Internet users."
http://news.yahoo.com/...
BEIJING, Feb. 14 -- Chinese authorities are determined to stop "harmful information" from spreading through the Web, but the controls it places on Web sites and Internet service providers do not differ much from those employed by the United States and European countries, a senior official responsible for managing China's Internet said Tuesday.......
He cited, for example, statements on Web sites run by The New York Times and The Washington Post that reserve the right to delete or block content in reader discussion groups that editors determine to be illegal, harmful or in
bad taste. Chinese news media Web sites are also monitored in that way, he said. .............
Mr. Liu also said powers the Bush administration gained under the Patriot Act to monitor Web sites and e-mail communications, and the deployment of technology called Carnivore by the F.B.I. to let the agency scrutinize huge volumes of e-mail traffic, were examples of how the United States has taken legal steps to guard against the spread of "harmful information" online. "It is clear that any country's legal authorities closely monitor the spread of illegal information," he said. "We have noted that the U.S. is doing a good job on this front."
There is a reference to Patriot Act, Deborah Howell blog and eavesdropping which is being used by China to justify their actions.