I think another thing that winds Europeans up and engenders anti–American sentiment is the link between international politics and influence and personal arrogance and self–aggrandisment that is the result of American patriotism. OK, so all nations are not equal. However, all men are. That’s why it galls to read American writing which in essence tells us that our opinions don’t matter, as if the particular American doing the writing is personally responsible for the pre–eminent position of America in international affairs. This sort of bullying nationalism is obnoxious — being told by someone that “my country can kick your country’s ass, so I don’t care what you think”.