Silverboy,

I was referring to the USA specifically, not really Australia or the UK or other commonwealth realm countries.

But I definitely think the UK will be lagging behind China very very soon, if not already. I had a chinese friend who told me he thought manchester airport is third world...and I am afraid he is very right. When I land there I often don't know if i've just arrived to some poor former communist country in eastern europe, and I bet even they have better airports. Look at countries like China and Saudi Arabia that are generating huge amounts of money, year upon year, Britain just doesn't have that kind of cash to splash about, and is also losing the expertise. The MTR corp (Hong Kong) has got the contract for the Crossrail line project in London...talk about an around turn, the former colony is now going to be running the former colonial masters capitals cross railway system.

I simply mean to say countries like the UK, and the USA, have lost their "mojo" and unless we get a leader who knows what he is doing, and not afraid to kick a few arses about the place, the Chinese, Indians, Russians and OPEC leaders will just continue to laugh at us, as they bank it all away, case in point, the Yanks should be charging for the suez canal, other countries use it,why should the US bear all the responsibility? Time to get tough, especially as China and Russia are unifying and snubbing the dollar through their own BRIC's bank (the Chinese put the most money in!).

Cheers on,
CT