American tend to see ourselves as white knights.  Selflessly defending nations like the EU and Japan that will not defend themselves.  A force for morality — banning bribery, pushing feminism and other western values (which we call “human rights).  Meanwhile we beg for lower oil prices and borrow like an tramp on a street corner.

Much of the world finds this a pain in the ass, but until now has had no alternative leader.   Someone to provide leadership — political and economic coordination, loans and aid, military protection — without America’s moralizing, without America’s erratic behavior.  Just business.

Much has been made of the rise of China and subsequent fall of the United States, but few can agree as to how fast China is rising or how fast the US is falling – if at all. The fact is the US is so far ahead of the rest of the world, only by serious force of will can the US destroy its own position of power. Some argue that is already happening.

China may rise, but it has India over the hump and Russia bearing down upon it – and eyes Japan with mistrust. India has her own geo-political problems with Pakistan, not to mention China. Most other superpowers-in-waiting have similar stubmling blocks. The US enjoys her position on the virtual super carrier North America with no natural enemies on our borders. This alone accounts for a gigantic head start in economic, military, and political relations. The reduced projection of that strength through seapower and control of shipping will be, in my opinion, where we will see the first chinks in our armor. When you see the US decommissioning carrier groups to save money – the decline will have started.