Take this for waht its worth........the rest of the world lives in fear of the US. They are like children militarily..further... we are an economic/military power unlike anything the world has ever seen..China has decided that its in their economic best interest to trade as have all the other counties that matter. We are too entretwined to have a global war such as u mention.
I just spent two years studying global economies while earning my MBA and I am absolutely, without a doubt, convinced that the other nations of the world are working to undermine US influence and eventually, shut us out completely and collect on the debts they hold over us.
In 2007 they fear us.
In 2012 they have abandoned the collapsed dollar and are doing business with us when need be.
In 2007 they let their people learn more about us - opening up the web and playing Loose Change on their mainstream television stations (as they are).
In 2012 their population will support any policy which undermines US power no matter the cost to themselves.
In 2007 Iran, China, and Russia made an alliance we should fear.
In 2012, this group of 2 billion with nuke redundancy, a third of the world's remaining oil, tight rule without question domestically, armed with every tech, mnfg, mgmt, and labor advantage.... they are going to be a f'cking beast to deal with.
just because they fear us today (arguably - they see us getting mopped in Iraq for whatever reason) doesn't mean we'll be in any position to flex this military c0ck in 5 years, my friend. They're preparing while we're exerting and overextending.