America in the dunk tank. (Or … Leggo My Ego!)

This is not the usual position we Americans find ourselves in – getting schooled on subjects like diplomacy and human rights by countries like China and Ecuador – and now Russia!

Russian President Vladimir Putin – through a translator – compared NSA leaker Edward Snowden to Wikileaker Julian Assange.

“He considers himself a human rights activist and fights for the freedom of information. Ask yourself a question, whether anyone has to extradite such people so they are thrown into a jail.”

Now we’re a bully! And Putin wasn’t finished!

“I would not like to deal with such issues, because it’s like shearing a pig. There is a lot of squealing and little fleece,” said Putin.

How is it that a country whose defense budget is a small fraction of ours, gets off firing farmyard metaphors at us? May we remind you, you are a former superpower.

Even China was at it again – their foreign ministry spokesperson implying that we don’t understand how the law works.

“The U.S. side has no reason to call into question the Hong Kong government’s handling of affairs according to law. China absolutely cannot accept it,” said the spokesperson.

Really, China? We let you make our iPhones and this is how you treat us?

Just because we hacked into your computers? We did it to protect you from terrorism!

I don’t know what kind of damage Edward Snowden’s done to our national security, but I’m telling you this: Our national ego is facing months of therapy.