I'm do not agree with every aspect of Bush and the Neo-Con agenda. Personally, I think we should have waited a few years before getting involved in the Middle East. It was obvious Bush was going to getbus into the Middle East I mean all you had to do was know of the Neo-Cons. I think that the Blood and Treasure we have spent would have been better directed at Afghanistan than Iraq. Afghanistan could work still but by now I think that we if we hadn't of invaded Iraq we would have been in a better position with Iran, the Iranians wanted to help us calm down Afghanistan!!!!!!
Anyways, I have digressed. Nonsqtr, America is currently more powerful than all the nations you have stated, not if we were alone but still, the amount of money that we possess is staggering. Between the US and the EU, 2/5's of the world economy belongs between us. A fifth for each otherwise, however we seem the US is by far better at killing people than the EU, to be blunt which is sadly what makes us 'Alpha Dog' in the global village. We also have a very strong economy popular to current thinking and this will be seen as the ripple effects of this blip is felt throughout the world economy, say perhaps we stopped buying Chinese goods and then instead, save money and use it for oil?
I do agree with what you say about American impotence, Bush has eroded our credibility and damaged our fundamental ethos to which the world believes we have. We should really not carelessly use our military at the disgression of Big Business. Fair enough one might argue, the oil situation isn't looking to good, but at least, at least we could've used the UN (or at the very least) the whole of NATO!!!!!! However the world percieves our cowboy mission in the Middle East imperialism and too be frank it is. Call it what you will (Regime Change, Neo-Colonialism etc etc) we are in the most oil rich region in the world at a time when oil our most consumed resource is becoming more expensive. Personally, when Bush leaves we'll need someone who is a good cleaner......
I myself (first time voter
) have not decided who I definetely would vote for if they won the primaries. Yeah, i'll get disillushioned by the lack of choice throughout my political life but hopefully there's one stand up politician who will truly represent what makes America great. (A nice bit of idealistic thought thrown in there)