Dec. 19, 2006: US MidEast Britain

Is U.S. set to lose Britain? -- "What none of these leaders or politicians or experts has grasped is that size and sheer military weight and spending no longer equate with power and influence in the world.", By David Howell, Japan Times, Dec. 14, 06

search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20061214dh.html

Any conference America tries to convene will be looked on with pity and possible amusement by other key countries, who might well not even wish to attend. The only motive for doing so might be that it is in no state's interest to see Iraq implode and in very few states' interests to see America totally humiliated. The lead will have to come from the region itself or from the new powers in the network world -- with China, Russia and India prominent among them -- although even their powers are limited, as they are aware. [....]