According to National Public Radio, Europe has seen rising interest in something many Americans can’t or won’t take the time to do — voting for president.

It seems commentators in England and other countries see their continent’s fortunes inextricably tied to ours. By their reasoning, the residents of other nations deserve to cast their ballots in American presidential elections (presumably so they could vote against any interventionist candidates and spare themselves another Middle East adventure).

We’ll concede that many of this country’s civilian and political leaders did a poor job in the planning and execution of the Iraq campaign. At the same time, prudence tells us to offer some counterproposals.

Citizens of other nations should have the ability to vote for American presidential candidates as long as they:

•  Allow American voters to enjoy reciprocity — they weigh in on our people, we weigh in on theirs. Assuming the validity of the “intertwined fortunes” theory, the U.S. population likewise has a stake in global political affairs, correct? So if they get to vote against our cowboys, simple fairness would dictate that we get a chance to vote against their communists, warlords, dictators-for-life, Holocaust deniers, etc.

Citizens of other nations should have the ability to vote for American presidential candidates as long as they:

• Join their American counterparts in another grand tradition of civic life: paying American taxes. If not, it would amount to representation without taxation — which is similar to the brand of Old World quirkiness that motivated our forebears to start their own country in the first place.

And finally, citizens of other nations should have the ability to vote for American presidential candidates as long as they:

•  Subject themselves to the same slate of attack ads, meaningless polls and canned speeches that we Americans regularly endure. At the very least, it would establish their level of commitment.

So what do you say, fellow denizens of the world? Can we reach an agreement that lets you try to keep us from meddling in other people’s affairs by meddling in our affairs?