Based on all criteria - military power, economic influence, cultural dominance - America remains number one, even though other, new players are increasingly challenging it in that role.

In my view, America has never had the opportunity to enter paradise. Europe enjoys the paradise it enjoys, in part because the United States provides the overall security that allows Europe to live in a system where military power is not a major issue.

The non-military answer in Iran is political change.

I think most Americans believe that although it's better not to use military force if you can avoid it, that the world simply doesn't provide us the luxury of giving away military force as an important tool of foreign policy.

America stood at the summit of power, emerging from the Cold War as an economic, cultural and military force without equal.

There's no way that that our military power will not erode if a robust American economic revival is not part of the cards.