Currency fluctations have occured from time to time. I hope that
Britain eventually joins the Euro. I think it will have to eventually.

I think it is probably inevitable that the US with 300 million is
going to give way to Asia. China and India both have 1 billion apiece.
I think too that another major factor has been that Europe is now
coming together and producing world class institutions.

However the relative decline of America has been considerably faster
than raw demographics would predict. Fundamentalism has grown since
the time of Kennedy and the Moon landings when the US was at its
zerith. The right wing of the Republican Party has been waging a
clever campaign. It is putting out that what is needed is folksy
frontier syle remedies and has contrasted the (real) America with the
élites of Washington.

Simplistic solutions are basically what caused Iraq.

As far as America leading the world away from fossil fuels is
concerned - yes it has the resources - but does it have the scientific
expertise. Remember all the expertise in in private industry.

I think the decline of America is bound to happen on a demographic
resource basis. The decline though under the Shrub has been quite
dramatic.

BTW - I did say the FAR East. The Middle East is an area with
potential, but is being held back by Religion.


- Ian Parker