>Mark,
>
>I fully understand why US citizens sometimes wish they could put up the shutters on the rest of the world.
>
>However, I think the opportunity to do so has been and gone. The US now benefits far more from its trade with other countries than it invests in the form of aid or military presence. Your high standard of living is based on foreign trade and opening of new markets in the 3rd World.
>
>In 2005 the US still has a huge internal economy... but you are running a huge trade deficit with the rest of the world, preventing you simply closing your borders. You're now highly dependent on foreign trade including $billions in high-value exports, imports of goods manufactured in China and Chinese purchases of US Bonds without which your interest rates would be much higher.

Almost all of which are "luxury" or "nice-to-have" items not critical to living a good life. The only thing we are truly dependent on for our way of life is oil which is scary enough.