Can the US become a superpower like the EU?

Yes, but would the dominoes have fallen if the US hadn't been there as a bulwark trying to stop them? It is a long-shot, I admit that. It's also worth a try, because I am not willing to give up yet on the hope of a democratic Middle East.

Hi everyone,

Have too much work to participate as much as I did.

This forum grew incredibly in size since I posted a couple of articles. I would like to point out that this is an intellectual forum. Calling leaders idiots doesn't fit here. There are a lot of posts about economy. I promised I will write more about weaknesses of US. We should understand that each system has its own contradictions build in. Each system reaches a point where it has to renew itself or will decline. US power resides in its economy. If economy declines, everything else will.

These are few minuses I see.

-         No country can continue with external trade deficits forever. Even economy of this size will be brought down at some time. Even conservative think tanks are giving 10-20 years until major problems.

-         Addiction to cheap energy.

-         Money injected into political system corrupts it. Billion dollar presidential election campaigns are worrisome sight.

-         Decline in the basic values: hard work, fair play, ethics. This is being replaced by deranged religious zealotry and political expediency, depending on the particular state (red or blue).

-         One party system. De facto a single party system in most states.

Blind patriotism is a dead end alley. What US need is a political and industrial renaissance. Instead declaring that we are a postindustrial state, we need to manufacture things that people may want to buy. Political system need to be fixed. Present one is prone to too much manipulation. There were good posts pointing to the fact that our exports consist mostly of raw materials and their profile resembles more a third world country than advanced one. US can produce best military jets, but plays the second fiddle in the commercial aviation field.

I recognize that there are many countries wishing they had problems US is facing. But this is not the answer. I think both strong Europe and strong US can have a very stabilizing influence on the rest of the world. US is still strong, but it is squandering momentum acquired after the WWII.

USA? Are you kidding? They are a nation in constant infancy and I can't see them coming out of it anytime soon (say... the next 5 centuries). Pray we won't follow their "example" as most of the lessaiz faire morons in Bruxelles wish... the Yanks are in a path of no return, they have failed to modernize their society and economical system for so many decades, what makes you think they'll change them in the future? And I fear they'll take down the world with them.

Perhaps you would like to explain how U.S economy is in need of modernization, and how socialism is better than capitalism, dont make wild accusations.