Congress and the Bush administration, take note: the American public and the international community both want the U.S. to play a different role in the world. It's not new, but it's certainly notable.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org released their latest poll today. In nearly every country polled, including the U.S., people want the U.S. to do its share in solving international problems but stop playing global cop.

The degree to which America's stock in the world has plummeted should be no surprise by now, but the numbers are still alarming.

The money quote, from pollster Steven Kull:

"This survey shows that despite the negative views of US foreign policy, publics around the world do not want the United States to disengage from international affairs, but rather to participate in a more cooperative and multilateral fashion," Kull said.

Meanwhile, Citizens for Global Solutions just released the finalists for the annual flash animation contest. Participants are illustrating what Americans can do to help solve global problems, and this year there's a heavy focus on energy. Visit now and vote for your favorite - what you'll see is inspiring and fun. Last year's contest and the recent virtual poetry slam feature some great entries too and are also worth a look.

-- Scott Paul

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