Right at this moment, the US and Israel are using up their bag of dirty tricks to influence those members of the UN to vote against the statehood for Palestine resolution, due to be voted on in September.
Israel using its influence, corruption and bribery, even in places like little Tonga, while the US, with its modus operandi, through threats and economic / military penalties.

Promises and threats and there is no one better at it than the corrupt USA.

What's this to do with failed state status?
Just another example of what the US has become over the years it has taken to become a failed state and failed state it is.

When America, 'Land of the Free' was prepared to tolerate the deaths of 4,000 people on the 11th September, 2001 supported be a Clayton's investigation of the local and foreign state culprits as another example of US lies and theatrics, the bombing of one of their ships by Israel with an 'under the carpet' result by yet another lying president, then you know it is the beginning of a failing empire.

May not happen for 15 years but it is on the way. There is not enough backbone in the US people to toss out the already corrupt 80% of the Congress and 70% of the Senate whose aim, based on actions to date, is to respond to the dictates of foreigners in their quest to "own" the middle east, oil and all.

Anyone who considers that the Arab 'spring' has not had the dirty hand of the US in there is naive. Let's not even mention the agitations for a war in Iran to placate the influences of the AIPAC Zionist lobby in Washington, owning Congress and the Senate, bribing all and sundry to acheive their aims, right now to kill the vote for Palestine in September. Is it any wonder that Gillard is so determined to place Australia's vote against Palestine as she jumps to the Melbourne Jewish Council's demands.

Yes, the failed state syndrome is here as well.

If they support Ron Paul and get rid to the US Federal Reserve then the USA will rise to be far more prosperous than any time in its' history.The Fed is the root cause of the GFC and the wars of imperialism.

Of course you are right, Arjay. No matter how many times you say it, people in this country and propably the US as well, think that the Federal Reserve is an arm of government. An arm of ripping off the government, more precisely..

A weight around the neck of America. Rothchilds and their ilk, running unhindered and thick on the ground over there, all with dual passports, subservient to a foreign state as with Gillard is to her sponsors here in timid little Australia. A weak government makes an easy target. We do not need such a handicap here as we have Gillard's feckless crew with another even more feckless crew waiting in the wings.

What have we done?

How can a country that punches above its weight in medical research, scientific achievements, social services in the main and general academic achievements, be loaded with such political misfits?

However, on the positive side, the days of ethical behavious, decency and social conscience have now long since left America as vote-gathering platforms for politicians. A country with an absolutely staggering number of handicapped ex-military, Gulf War syndrome, permanently damaged, their plight worsens as the Congress, now 'managed' by Republicans, work for tax benefits for the wealthy to the detriment of medical services needed so badly by so many.

They all heeded the call for active service but now are an on-going cost America can do without.......and best forgotten.

Still, in an aggressive military country, being a soldier is a job and there aren't too many of those in the USA and deceasing, daily.

The US was virtually on top of the world until the 1980’s, when they reduced the top tax down to 35% which surely allows uncontrolled industry CEO’s to take as high a salary as they like. Incomes of $100 million are being taken and possible higher, and that has reduced the amount into kitty as well as causing increases of all goods and services. The since 1969, the top tax has been dropping from 77% to 35% in 2003. The troubles in the US have been caused by the uncontrolled incomes which have destroyed the ability of companies to look after their own industries and employees.

merv09 the troubles of the West and the USA is that private central banks are allowed to create money from nothing to equal our increases in productivity and inflation as debt.Private banks should only be allowed to loan out money that already exists due to real productive enterprise.Only sovereign Govts elected by the people should have this power.

They are stealing from you merv09 and you like most don't realise it.They are stealing your increases in productivity and loaning it back to you as debt.It is like you counterfeiting money in your garage and loaning it to our Govt.This is why you pay so much tax.You have to service Govt debt to private banksters.

Merv09 "The US was virtually on top of the world until the 1980’s, when they reduced the top tax down to 35% which surely allows uncontrolled industry CEO’s to take as high a salary as they like."

Yes but strangely, in the 1980s it was the USSR which collapsed...

Go figure...

IF the USA is so bad a place... why do people queue up to get smuggled in

If collective control of everything, where CEOs wages are decided by a government committee, was so great.. why were people risking land mines and bullets to escape over the Iron Curtain...

There is nothing in your proposals which have not failed in the recent past

but don't let that stop you... Julia Gizzards is following a similar strategy and in the short and long term, it will only cost us all alot of money

Bring on the next election and bring back the Liberals