Standard and Poor

The German press responded cautiously to the S & P's downgrading of the U.S.'s bond rating. The FAZ has an a article quoting Chinese criticisms of the US, stressing in particular the ridiculous political circus --this allows the Chinese to criticize the democratic process as well as the particular instance.  Another FAZ article concluded that the US was now like other countries, the United Kingdom and Germany.  One implication between the Chinese and the German responses is that the US may well have to curtail its military interventions.