Mick, you made my point exactly. We Americans tend to look to the Europeans (et al) as some form of wise elders, when in fact, we must understand their basic irrelevance in our future.

As for some other nationalities "viewing us with distain or even hate"; when some Europeans write that "I am afraid of America", my retort is that, for either psychological or political reasons, you may have a "need" to be. We must be cognizant of the world at large, but not servile to it.

A "Cabal of Generals" scenerio was fruitlessly played out when former General (and then Chief of Staff) Al Haig, in a misbegotten attempt to calm the Nation after Reagan was shot, said "I am in charge", and was quickly corrected by members of the press, Congress, and anybody with a mouth. And the only shots fired were Hinkley's...

Your last sentence says it all...