The United States is, arguably, the single remaining superpower in the world. When there were strong states and weak states, it might have made some sort of sense for the strong ones to impose their will-whether a supposedly benign will such as the U.S. claims for itself, or an 'evil" one such as Nazi Germany displayed-on the other, weaker nations. In the simpler black-and-white world, a world in which national boundaries were as good as written in stone, there could be a clear winner and a clear loser. That is not so today. In the increasingly global world, most nations have some strengths and some weaknesses. Interdependence is the hallmark of international relations. In this climate, for one nation to impose its ways on another is very much like a guest at a dinner party hogging the conversation and, moreover, tying down the listeners.and beyond that, forcing them to agree with his words and comply with his requests. In short, it is bullyism in its most naked incarnation.

             The United States is currently the boorish guest at the world banquet. It has steadfastly refused to obey 'house" rules if one considers the United Nations the 'house," the global community of all nations representing the family of man.

             Douglas J. Feith, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy made abundantly clear in a U.S. Department of Defense Speech in February, 2005, how completely ill-mannered the U.S. is at present. Oddly enough, Feith was justifying the U.S. virtually unilateral attack on Iraq when he quoted President Bush: "America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies" (Feith 2005). Apparently, the boorishness of imposing American values on a sovereign foreign nation was lost on Mr. Bush, and on Mr. Feith. Feith also noted that Mr. Bush had assured the citizens of Iran that he would similarly help them with their domestic problems.