The Washington Post today reports:

    An intelligence forecast being prepared for the next president on future global risks envisions a steady decline in U.S. dominance in the coming decades, as the world is reshaped by globalization, battered by climate change, and destabilized by regional upheavals over shortages of food, water and energy.

    The report, previewed in a speech by Thomas Fingar, the U.S. intelligence community's top analyst, also concludes that the one key area of continued U.S. superiority -- military power -- will "be the least significant" asset in the increasingly competitive world of the future, because "nobody is going to attack us with massive conventional force." . . .

    "The U.S. will remain the preeminent power, but that American dominance will be much diminished," Fingar said, according to a transcript of the Thursday speech. He saw U.S. leadership eroding "at an accelerating pace" in "political, economic and arguably, cultural arenas" . . . .

    As described by Fingar, the intelligence community's long-term outlook has darkened somewhat since the last report in 2004, which also focused on the impact of globalization but was more upbeat about its consequences for the United States. The new view is in line with that of prominent economists and other global thinkers who have argued that America's influence is shrinking as economic powerhouses such as China assert themselves on the global stage. **** I wonder if the Thai people would really prefer a "Chinese" style single party (dictatorial) system of Government? Less problems?     

i think you are wrong there ghee. the republicans seem to be doing everything in their power to elect obama. which scares the hell out of me am not sure who is worse. this election seems to be worse then anyother one that i have ever seen.

The US has been a Dictatorship for 8 years if not more. I'm embarrased and disgusted that they would but adds on the news with such lies and they aren't laughed out of the running. As long as the lobbyists are still buying people the US will be in decline and the rich will keep raking in the money and people will be told to hate each other. And they call themselfs christians on top of it all. Dam twisted world !!!

It's just so easy to manipulate American voters. So now all the hockey moms who don't know **** about the world are going to vote for a female nutjob from Alaska because of her so called "family values". Seriously, what the hell she's gonna do in the debate when she can't read from the prompter??

I believe we're at a critical juncture, the USA can't afford any longer to live denial of global issues, a growing worldwide "middle class" living like Americans. Consuming huge amounts energy generated by fossil fuel plants, smoking, choking, and polluting us to death. If Obama is elected he and his administration will fight the "special interests" Big Oil & Coal, and Big Pharma. The USA will have an a realistic Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy policy and change course toward environmental sustainability. Obama and decent Americans must win this election and defeat the special interests (McCain)and the religious right wing Fascists (Palin).

I agree with you Bruce 100% I'm just afraid the computers are in place and winning is in peril. If they will resort to BS adds they will hack computers. Anything to win. Bobby Kennedy has said over and over the machines are hackable and his lawsuits against Diebold and the other major com. voting co. have been stalled in the courts and kept out of the media while "they" placed 25 thousand new machines in Ohio alone.

Its bad enough that electoral votes can be seduced at dinner by corporate lobbyists. It feel like Running Man 2 and I'm waiting for Richard Dawson to appear!

I just hope your next election will be less of a farce than the last one...

the "lipstick on a pig" phrase is not unique to Obama. It has been used by many people before, including McCain! It means you cant dress something up to change its nature.

that said, I wonder if it was the right thing to say. I fear it may cost his campaign a few votes because many Americans are so stupid they wont know how to put it in context.

why did Pailin have 4 children, then at an advanced age decide to have her 5th child and subject the child to increased risk of birth defects? And she is commended as a great mother for this? wtf? That does not look like good judgement to me. She ran a small city in east bumfuck Alaska for a few years and then was governor of that sleepy state for less than 2 years and now the Republicans want people to believe she is qualified to be Vice President behind a guy who has an increased chance of being rendered incapacitated (stroke, dead).

maybe lipstick on a pig was not inaccurate after all.

I'm confused.. What do voters want in a President of the U.S?. I mean, there's this great guy named Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law School, chaired prestigeous Harvard Law Review, taught in University of Chicago Law School... left a prestigeous law firm to work for a community organizer... become a senator of Illinois. I mean, from what he accomplished, I can say I believe he must have good judgement on whatever decisions he will have to make as a president (despite his limited experience as a first-term senator).

And now here comes a no one from Alaska (a mayor of 9,000 population town and 2-yr governer) who procliams herself as a reformer with executive experience (wtf?) and conservatives just go crazy about her. I mean, she gives incredible speech attacking Democrats on characters (which have nothing to do with their policy platform).. but doesn't she just lack substance? She so far has said nothing about her healthcare plan, national security, or how to increase jobs. She refuses to be interviewed by the media, and I'm not sure if we will ever see her being in a debate against Joe Biden (a friggin chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee).

All I'm saying is-- it doesn't take a very smart person to see which side is more competent for the job.

Kerry Its not about being a valid candidate, its about personality and the Republicans know as they proved it by getting an Idiot like GW elected.