But we still elect governments to provide services for citizens and to protect national interests.

ECONOMIST: Economic globalisation

The same poll found that a clear majority (58%) believed America had a moral obligation to help keep the peace in Kosovo, whereas only a minority (42%) was persuaded that America ought to get involved to protect its national interests.

ECONOMIST: The late march on Kosovo

Ventures like World Coffee Research must also overcome friction with national research institutions that often aim to protect local interests, notably in Ethiopia, believed to be the fatherland of Arabica.

WSJ: The Indiana Jones of Coffee

EU. Luxembourg's role of honest broker is enhanced by the fact that it has few national interests, save for bank secrecy, to protect.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Nor could they understand why a nation would go to war to protect the territorial integrity of countries that did not impact their national interests.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Echoes of 1919

Third, that directors appointed by governments to a planned new "national security board" - designed to protect the security interests of countries in which the merged group has big operations - should not sit on the top board of the merged group.

BBC: Merger of BAE and EADS 'close to collapse'

Nina Olson, the national tax advocate, whose job at the IRS is to protect taxpayers' interests, has called for new laws that would require a third-party payroll service to post a bond for its clients that would cover any lost tax payments.

WSJ: Tax Surprise: When Payroll Firms Implode