The new century is not going to be an American century. Obama can’t say that of course, whether he thinks it or not. But most foreign-policy intellectuals who aren’t drunk on Mars-Venus rhetoric do think it, but since I’m not trolling for votes, I can say it. We will be (at least for awhile) the largest and most economically formidable of a small handful of competitor states. And if the EU becomes one country someday, we won’t even be that (the EU is already bigger measured as one unit in GDP terms). And some other day in the 21st century—especially if Republicans win elections and strip the state to the bone—China will surpass us in GDP too.

I realize nobody running for president can talk like this. But using rhetoric like “American century” is delusional, dishonest, and—because people with visions of American domination tend to be awfully trigger happy—potentially dangerous. But then again “delusional, dishonest, and potentially dangerous” is today’s GOP’s motto, isn’t it? Well, except for that “potentially.”’…

This was not a serious speech. It was all rhetoric and buzz words and politics. You were expecting something else from a Republican? The party is sadly incapable of serious non-political thought. China is better at building aircraft carriers.