In addition to its troubles with enemy nations, long-term relationships between the United States and several of its allies are currently under considerable strain. As the International Herald Tribune observes:

"The United States could well be wondering why its relationships with three major countries that should be close allies have become so frayed . . . Japan has balked at continuing its naval refueling support for U.S. operations in Afghanistan. India has hedged on proceeding with its nuclear agreement with Washington. Turkey is angry at the inability of the United States to rein in attacks by Iraq-based Kurdish separatists . . . All this is not just a coincidence . . . [These events] reflect a broader erosion of America's influence linked to its war in Iraq and its broader Middle East policies" (Nov. 6, 2007, emphasis added throughout).

According to a recent survey, only 9 percent of Turkish citizens view the United States in a favorable light (down from 52 percent in 2000). Japan is anxious about thawing American relations with North Korea. It does not want Washington to remove this rogue country from its list of terrorist nations.

Moreover, the British archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, recently attacked America, portraying it as a violent, imperialist country—referring to its "misguided sense of mission." The interview with the archbishop, which implied that the United States had lost its moral high ground, appeared in a Muslim magazine.

Some members of the British Parliament praised Dr. Williams' attack on American foreign policy. One ray of light is that British Conservative Party leader David Cameron went to the United States to repair and mend his formerly strained relationship with President George W. Bush.

On the domestic front, political battles over the administration's policy in Iraq and the overall direction of the country will likely dominate the news leading up to the November presidential election. A front-page article in USA Today (Nov. 1, 2007) described things this way: "A year before voting, a nation of discontent . . . Divided by the war and anxious about the future, Americans want some fixes."

Economic news may be shaky due to the subprime mortgage meltdown. Still the latest news shows "soaring exports boost[ing] economic growth" with "GDP up 4.9% in [the] third quarter" (Financial Times, Nov. 30, 2007).