BASKING in the warm glow of its victory in the Cold War, the 21st century promised continued US global dominance. America’s military might and economic prowess made it appear as a colossus unlike any seen before. Then the shocking events of Sept 11, 2001 shattered the myth of America’s invincibility and exposed it as both vulnerable and frightened. Worse, it permitted the neo-cons to push then President George Bush onto the path of disastrous wars which contributed, in no small measure, to an economic crisis that has left Americans numb. Not surprisingly, America’s current predicament has renewed the debate of...