http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments-analysis/world-will-witness-anxious-times-as-us-power-declines-and-chinas-rises/articleshow/9815040.cmst has become second nature to most of the world to accept the US as the undisputed hegemon of the global order. The combination of an economy two-three times larger than its nearest contender, and a state-of-the-art military, is unchallengeable.
The unipolar phase began when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in 1989 and the mighty Soviet Union died in its aftermath. The vector is now changing and in the economic rebooting, China's international prestige and power have received a boost.
Last month's downgrade of US long-term debt from AA+ to AA+ by rating agency Standard & Poor's came as no surprise. Yet, it sent world markets into a tailspin, for never before had a major rating agency dared downgrade the mighty power.
The future of the sole superpower that today can militarily intervene in any part of the world, put boots on ground at will and undertake bombing missions from mainland US to Afghanistan, and return to base flying non-stop for 31 hours for instance, can only be assured if the economy can support it.