[mburbank]

Well reasoned, and there's nothing you've said I disagree with overmuch.

I think however, that we've bungled this period of being the only super power so badly that it will be quite some time (if ever again) before we regain anything like our pre Iraq pre W footing.

We are perilously close to the point we can't put boots on the ground in 8 hours, not because we don't have the capability but because we've worn the soldiers down to nothing. We've squandered what credability we've had to the point where when America says something like Iran is fueling the chaos in Iraq (which they may well be) even our allies have to take the time to think about if it's true or just a lot of conveniently stovepiped crap.

I don't honestly think we're over the way England was over after WWII. We'll be a player for a long time to come. But the days of Big Daddy America are coming to a close I think. For a long time the rest of the world had to be with us or with Russia. For a few short years it was Our way or no way. It's going to be a whole different ball game.