From: "Phil Payne" 

"Adam" 
wrote in message news:4574020e$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=18608
>
> An opinion piece so treat as such
>
> Never the less it points to the very commonly held beleief that the US
> zenith has passed.

"Barely six years have elapsed since President Bush took office and
the much coveted 21st century belongs to America is about to come to an
abrupt end. America's pre-eminence in four corners of the world is being
challenged by friends and foes alike."


I think it's quite clear to the whole world that the USA has failed to step
up to the responsibility of being the planet's only superpower and has only
seen its might as a tool to serve its own ends.  We need to find another
"global policeman" - I'm not at all sure what will emerge.  China
has the ability but doesn't seem to relish the idea, and the EU suffers
from rampant inertia.  We may yet see a pan-Islamic alliance grow very
rapidly into the role.  It would be very interesting because of the
geographic realities.

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