They said his main goal is to bond with fellow leaders. They played down Europe's animosity toward the administration. Laying groundwork, Bush and several Cabinet members met last week to craft a new position on global warming. In the early days of his administration, Bush backed out of an international climate change treaty without warning U.S. allies and broke a campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. Those acts created a furor in European capitals, and Bush's job approval ratings fell at home.
Advisers now say they failed to brace U.S. allies and the American public.
In response, Bush has suddenly taken up the fight against global warming. Seeking an alternative to stiff mandates found in the treaty, Bush is considering a package of mostly voluntary initiatives and flexible emissions caps for polluters. Missile defense is another sticking point. Allies fear Bush's aggressive approach will spark a new arms race. After U.S. diplomats hopscotched the globe, the administration was rebuffed in a meeting of NATO ministers.