Bush steps out of world picture in which U.S. is no longer the star

Decline in U.S. influence partly a result of aversion to his policies

By Paul Richter
Washington Bureau
2:03 AM CST, December 28, 2008

WASHINGTON — As President George W. Bush's term comes to a close, the United States has the world's dominant economy and its most powerful military. Yet its global influence is in decline.

The United States emerged from the Cold War a solitary superpower whose political and economic leverage often enabled it to impose its will on other nations. Now America usually needs to build coalitions of nations to get its way—and often finds other world powers aren't willing to go along.