>I wonder how all those countries who rely on the military strength of the U.S. for protection would feel?

Who exactly do you refer to ? Saudis ??
Hope You don't think that Europe is still afraid of Germans or something like this <vbg>

>I wonder what the odds are that without a strong military the U.S. would not be attacked? With current sentiment against the U.S., not likely...

I would say;
About the same (or less!) then with strong military fighting open wars with Islam countries an threatening meny others.

>I am a strong believer in being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best.

You can't really prepare for the worst because you don't know what really is going to hit you. If that was ever possible then none of catastrophies would ever shake us. We would be always 'prepared'. We *listened* to Tito, yet Yugoslavia broke up in peaces with Army falling apart shamefully.
French tought that famous Mazinoe line protected them from all dangers, and I am sure they spent billions in *getting prepared* ... Did it really save them ?
Not to even mention US recent history... Who would expect that ?

So what ordinary people are left with; We can just hope for the best :)
The rest of that 'equation' is pure propaganda in my personal experience.

Peace!