The U.S. Will Not Put a Man on Mars First

I don't know if I'll be able to put up with everyone acting surprised when Russia and/or Europe and/or China beat the U.S. to a manned landing on Mars. This article shows a combined Russian-European effort to explore some of the physiology and psychology problems that might arise during such a mission. Where will it be? Chinese patriotic fervor? Eccentric Russian fossil fuel billionaire and hardy army volunteers?

I think most of us would be all-for an international effort but in the U.S. political climate, committing to funds as would be needed for such an endeavor would be political suicide. I hope I'm wrong.