Brooks points out that American citizens' outrage over bonuses is a distraction (but symbolic). Although he casts foreigners as being in precarious situations, many of their economies are not as shot through with fraud, and some have nationalized banks for strict controls we do not have. He may be correct that the G-20 is headed for impotence, because Europeans want no more of our exported fraud. Hence their emphasis on long-term architecture, and international regulations Brooks derides. His call for more IMF and World Bank dominance is more of the failed investor class policies. But that's Brooks' own myopia from New York.

A reasonable reminder that we need to focus more on the urgent global financial crisis than the minor issue of AIG bonuses, despite the American public's recent outcry. The author points out that the crisis is much more severe outside America, and that our failure to implement a long-range global rescue plan and financial architecture could lead to disastrous results. This opinion is thoughtfully presented, with logical arguments and factual evidence to support its points.