The USA does not appoint itself the leader of the "Free World." The "Free World" decides that.
From another thread, at the suggestion of another poster as an OP:
"The Free World" is already a relative concept. Here in Europe, for example, there are many so-called "free" countries where a simple revenge-minded functionary can make your life hell for a decade or more by declaring you a "suspect" in illegal activities you were never anywhere near.
Germany had the good fortune to have a level-headed adult lead it for over a decade now, but serious propaganda moves have been at work to tear her down (both the media and her opposition were using the media-created phrase "old and used up" to describe Merkel--based on exactly nothing). I'm talking about right here in Germany. Go and watch her address at Harvard recently and tell me if that was a speech by someone who is old and used up.
France got an idealistic bureaucrat as president because they were fed up with incompetence, and he got so many stones thrown at him from day one that he couldn't even get started.
Great Britain got their "Brexit," advocated by curious characters with dubious financing (sound familiar?). Although the population is against it, their government is going ahead with it, against all logic.
The world still looks to the USA for innovation, culture and initiatives in the field of environmental protection. There is world-wide dismay at our seeming willingness to abandon all pretense at attempting to be a role model for the world, but hope has not been abandoned. Their disgust at Dick Cheney's America was replaced by restored respect for Barack Obama's America, and it was we, the voters, who brought that about. When the Stalinists of the Republican Party finally manage to control all counting of the votes in our country, then all hope can be considered to be gone. Until then, we should not, DARE not give up hope of restoring responsible leadership. Shame on us, by the way, if we let ourselves be painted into a corner on ideology. Beware the fringes--they are where our adversaries want us to focus our attention, whether it is the Oregon Militia on the right or Jill Stein on the left. The world is looking for a little sanity, and Angela Merkel can't bear this burden alone. Our current president not only won't, he is incapable even if he were to have a change of heart, and want to do it. Our next president MUST, and he or she must take office in January, 2021.
As we saw from 2009 onward, "yes we can" does not automatically mean "yes we will," but at least it recognizes that we, as a country, are not totally devoid of benevolence. THAT is what the world is looking for, and no one expects it to come with Stockholm or Berlin leading the way. It MUST come from us, or it won't come at all.
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