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To be a leader, one has to have followers. Since the disastrous Presidency of G.W.Bush began, the USA has shed 'followers' at a spectacular rate of knots, as traditional allies have distanced themselves from the agenda of the extreme group deciding policy in the States.

Mr Bush himself must bear much of the responsibility. As a wiser predecessor observed,'the buck stops here'; Harry Truman, I believe. Whilst George W. cannot be blamed for seeking the highest office, he can be blamed for remaining so ignorant of the world beyond the borders of the USA. He can be blamed for appearing to be a considerable bigot, to boot, and for consorting with men and women of a similar stripe.

Militarily, the USA spends colossal sums of money and can meddle in most parts of the world if the President sees fit and the Congress allows. Only nuclear powers seem safe, a lesson not lost on Iran! Economically, the USA still has enough money to 'buy' support from certain developing nations, at the UN and elsewhere, to legitimize some of its actions. However, the tide of support has turned as the world has watched not only incompetence but deceit and hypocrisy emanate from the nation which still claims to be 'the land of the Free.' The values of its founding fathers have been stood on their head.

The USA stands discredited on key issues of immediate World importance towards the end of 2007. Whether on the issue of combating climate change, reacting proportionately to terror attacks, dealing with unsavory regimes or addressing poverty at home, the USA seems entirely to have lost the plot. The question really is, therefore, could the USA resume its position as leader in world politics? Just possibly, with a Democratic victory in the forthcoming elections; let's face it, no one (hardly) wants China to dominate the world!

Learn more about this author, Mark Hopkins.
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