Hi Walter,

>>But we are not some gigantic, rich third world country. I can't begin to imagine where that comes from. We are what we are - a country based on principles and a Constitution that has endured. We are friends to the entire free world and always will be. If the sad day comes when the US is not a leader and can't defend and help our friends you and other smaller nations will regret it.
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>Well, change will not happen overnight (At least I don't think the US will lose its leading position overnight, but who knows (see the link I provided you which lists a few scenarios)).
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>There has been an ongoing process of uniting smaller countries. The UN and NATO does bind the smaller nations into one super power in which the US is a contributer. So if one country has been attacked NATO will likely react (As is the case in Afghanistan). Europe has shown in the past that it is more than capable to create a military that able to defend itself. I don't think that is going to be a problem. We will not be depended on US military power.

Yes, a process instituted by the United States in 1945 as a means to avoid further global wars.

>Economically, I think your statement is even further off the mark. The EU now is a powerfull body and its economy now surpasses the one of the US. It continues to grow as eastern countries are developping quite quickly. In many respects you can view Europe as the United States of Europe though each country still has a huge level of independence.

Perhaps. I don't see this as a bad thing if Europe truly is united even with a larger economy than ours.

>As for the US, yeah I think it still be friends with the rest of the western world, but its role problably is going to change. The best win-win situation would be if the US would be part of this new superpower together with the EU. But it probably has to give up some of its empire characteristing (e.g. taxation through the devaltation of the dollar) or at least share them with the other western countries. Because the EU + NA would account for arround 1 billion people and we really need that to be in competition with the asian rising power.

This poses somes interesting questions. Why does this become an adversarial issue - the West versus the East? And, again, Walter, we don't have an empire. Stop saying that.

I know this: If the world continues to prosper - East or West - the odds of conflict decline. If the dollar declines and the Euro becomes the currency of choice, so be it. Frankly, as long as needs are met and everyone enjoys personal freedoms, I don't care. The ideals are what's important - that all men are created equal and have a right to chose their own destinies. If that becomes the standard worldwide then it's irrelevent who the big dog is. If our values triumph then we've accomplished our mission.