The U.S. has nearly twice the GDP of any other nation on earth and ranks
among the top in per capita income. The U.S. has the
most powerful military on earth. The U.S. is the
single most powerful political player in world affairs. The U.S. is widely seen around the globe (despite protestations to the contrary) as a free and prosperous nation to which economically or politically oppressed people flock. The U.S. has been and continues to be a
global leader in technology, manufacturing, invention, and culture.
When you're
by far the biggest, wealthiest, and most powerful guy on the block, it's inevitable that many of your neighbors, friendly or unfriendly, will come to resent you. No matter how nice a face you put on or how
humble your rhetoric. Human nature and all that.