This article's defence of the US position in the Asia-Pacific (half of the world) probably protesteth too much.

Yes Australia's defence-foreign policy-business apparatus needs reassurance in the face of the bloody minded irresponsibility of too many American politicians, but more criticism is what America deserves.

American arrogance should not be excused by American power.

A country dominated by those who prize gun ownership, while considering national health care tantamount to Communism, should not be excused so easily.

Pete

"Impressively resilient, the US has enormous reserves of intellectual and human capital and the resources to match."

Yes, indeed, the US will still be a major, if not the world's major power long after BRICS is forgotten, any comparison with the precipitate imperial declines of Britain and Spain is a fantasy.

Mac, I copied the same sentence that you included in your comment but for entirely different reasons.

It struck me as ironic that the nation that is so praised by you and the author is currently floundering to pay its bills and restrain its spending. Where are these "enormous reserves of intellectual and human capital' when they are needed? The U.S. couldn't run a chook raffle!

The U.S., with only 6% of the world's population, is also trying to gain control of the world. It has been working at this objective since the end of WW2. Its imperial objectives are cunningly hidden under its braying slogans about standing for democracy and human freedoms. In its own country, democracy is a farce and the actions of the NSA, the putting or people in cages and its use of drones, rendition and torture show clearly little regard for human freedoms.

It, with an enormous army, was going flat out to flatten Iraq and Afghanistan and left a ruinous catastrophe in both nations.

The U.S. is a danger to the world and the power it has is disproportionate to its population. Hugely.

Australia needs the U.S. like a hole in the head!

David G,

My comments are not necessarily praising the USA, just a statement of the facts as I see them.

I'm not a supporter of Imperial America and I certainly don't condone the country's militarism, however I agree with the author in regard to America's huge resources, whether intellectual, industrial or natural, eg the US will soon become self-sufficient in oil and a potential exporter of hydro-carbons. I commented on your site that the US seems to be on the same path as Athens, and the gods always punish hubris.

Predictions are notoriously inaccurate, however I'd still put my money on America, the country has the capacity for reform and a return to democracy, it is still the least worst alternative. Of course, if the US government actually defaults I'd have to agree with your opinions, however that seems inconceivable.