JMA,

Do not judge the U.S. by our recent actions. They do not define us.

As to the British Empire, their decline was their own. Like the US they had a foreign poiicy model designed for an era that no longer existed, and the costs of empire came to exceed the benefits, and they wisely converted to the Commonwealth and tucked in behind to let the US take on the onus of leadership. Unlike the US, Great Britain lacks the tremendous security and natural wealth of the US, nor the depth and diversity of populace. The US is still very much a young bull, we're just sorting out how to deal with the next phase. Don't make the mistake of reading too much into our lack of grace in that transition.

As to our reliability, we need to actually move on from the emotionally charged, ideologically defined thinking of the Cold War era to an approach that is much more practical, pragmatic, and tied to clear assessments of our interests and the interests of others. Mature powerful nations in history have played this balancing game well, and certainly Britain plays it better than most still.

In regards to Alaska and Hawaii? Don't hold your breath on anyone even seriously considering they could make such a play in any foreseeable future.