On the Reasons for The Decline of American Influence in the Modern World part 1

          
          A reply comment from a recent Facebook comment thread that started with a wall post question that read: "Ron Paul just interviewed on CNN. Brilliant man. Only candidate who appears to be truly committed to American national soveriegnty & Constitutional values. But why? Why is Ron Paul the last man standing willing to defend these ideals publicly? Everyone already knows about the Bilderberg Group, Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Big Oil, the MIC et al who weild much of the real influence re what happens in the US and the West now, so let's assume that foundationally as the backdrop of the bigger picture w this question. No need to go into it as if it's not already known... In fact, could this simple fact be the sole reason why no one else is willing to speak up the way Paul does? Believing that it's impossible to be "selected" if one does? Or are they all just simply ignorant to what the American Republic is supposed to look like? (This is as much about the Dems and Obama as it is the Repubs FYI -- God love 'em but tthe Obama admin is obviously not very concerned w defending the Constitutional Republic America once prided itself on). So what gives?"
          There were plenty of good answers. The first few focused on the 9/11 conspiracy that took place in the United States on September 11th, 2001, perhaps our darkest hour thus far. And we've seen plenty of darkness since "Columbus" first landed on these shores 500 years ago. Other comments related to the stranglehold Israel has had on the US since the 1940s. And still others vehemently opposed these ideas entirely and instead leaned towards more partisan explanations for what ails the once great nation-state. A word for word copy of what I originally posted hastily in reply to all the informative and insightful comments follows below.
          Allen I know about all the 9/11 stuff, (and agree with the major ideas of it), and the war profiteering the US has been doing since God knows when... Just not sure how your 9/11 opening(s) relate to this seemingly "sudden" dismissal and disrespect for the US as a super power. The US gov has always committed high acts of treason corrupt deception lies and secret spy stuff all over the world... And yet has always maintained a high level of respect from most other nations. Maybe it was all fear based... But still, there's def a change in world opinion now, something we've never seen in our lifetimes... 
          My personal op is that it started with the blatant transparency of 2000's stolen election (public display of the country's disregard for its stated Democratic values) and really blew up with that administration's illegal invasion of Iraq (public display of the country's disregard for its stated committment to previously agreed upon rules of war & engagement post WWII, state sovereignty, and basic respect for human decency -- hard to believe anything the US gov claims to promote regarding liberty or democracy after Cheney/Bush/Rice and their 8 year reign of terror and torture in the Middle East). After the economic collapse Of 2008 (public display of their complete disregard for the laws and regulations that make Capitalism work safely, ie one cannot borrow their way to prosperity without a solid business plan behind the borrowing) what does the US have left? The threat of military might. 
          One also cannot help recalling Obama's shameful display of crow-eating disregard for democracy and human rights as he escorted a Chinese Communist dictator through a 21 gun salute on their way to a State Dinner at the White House in 2011; a moment one could arguably label one of the most embarrassing in the country's recent history. There wasn't a soul on earth who didn't see through that disreputable farce. As of late France Germany and others, and now Russia and China, have all begun to distance themselves from the US through sometimes glaringly insulting public remarks -- evidenced most recently by Russian Ambassador Churkin's comments on the Charlie Rose show for example, and even more offensive actions of non-cooperation in areas the US usually takes for granted -- Egypt's alleged upcoming trial of the 19 Americans being only one. 
          The fact that the Obama admininstration was helpless in our country's campaign to save the "three hikers" imprisoned by Iran and that it took a Hollywood actor (Sean Penn) to free them is more than a little disturbing in the context of this subject. Obviously the Israel situation plays a huge role in all of this, though no one with half a brain or concern for the safety of themselves or their family dares speak about it, and for good reason; see the book "They Dare to Speak Out:.." here: http://www.amazon.com/They-Dare-Speak-Out-Institutions/dp/155652482X. But as festering a sore as that pink elephant is in the American Oval Office, it still remains only one of the many incongruent inconsistencies and hypocrycies that threaten the US's reputation, economic stability and social security one could conjecture. 
          I for one, unlike our esteemed colleague Allen Niven, do not believe it is the sole cause of all the troubles that confront us presently. More to the point, my question is less about the myriad issues one could point to where the US has done wrong and been called out on it -- Israel for example, certainly a major impediment to the US regaining its reputation, the respect of other nation states or global cooperation in its attempt to recover economic stability -- and more about the question of whether or not this seemingly dire situation is due to one major recent event or a more slowly growing series of many events collected over time in the global psyche around American imperialism and its overt hypocrisy regarding nearly everything it claims to be sacred. 
          As Stu Stewart pointed out, Russia is certainly no angel in the human rights arena and has much to gain from the business of selling weapons of mass destruction -- that fact is obvious, and forget about their version of "what democracy looks like"' -- laughable at best -- why doesn't Putin just declare himself Emporer and just be done with it? But the fact remains that they're still a major player with ever growing respect and influence on the world stage. Which begs the question, is it all just coming down to economics? Has the threat of military might lost its impact for old glory? If so, besides apologizing and starting to make amends -- which would be the prudent, wise, intelligent and dare one say "just/right" thing to do, is there anything else the US can do to recapture its once admirable position in the world?