The American empire will not disappear... because America does not have an empire.

The United States plays, for the most part, a constructive global role, and to the extent that that role shrinks, other countries, even those most critical of what America does abroad, will suffer.

First of all, the world criticizes American foreign policy because Americans criticize American foreign policy. We shouldn't be surprised about that. Criticizing government is a God-given right - at least in democracies.

In truth, every American administration since that of Franklin D. Roosevelt has maintained close ties with the Saudi rulers, and for a single, simple reason: oil.

The United States doesn't do what it does in the world for altruistic reasons. Nobody set out to be the world's government.

The values, the programs, the formula, the determination, and the patriotism responsible for America's past success are still here to be tapped.