The piece atempted to show that the US will begin to decline as a power. The reason behind this though was that the US respect would decline "in the eyes of the world". The point they missed was, we don't careThe eyes of the world did not grant us power, it was earned. What have the Europeans earned in their opposition to military action in Iraq except an association and defense of a sadistic, oppressive tyrant. If this marks our decline to them then they still do not understand our ascent.
I hear the "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" in the background. I didn't know the germans bombed Pearl Harbor.