You can make the point that because the USA dominates the Oceans, and protects ALL the Trade Routes for ALL to use, we are the #1 Country in the World.
Read The Blue Age by Gregg Easterbrook.
Great thesis and shows how the 21st Century NEEDS a strong USA and it's beneficent Navy to protect Global Free Trade.
Example from the book, paraphrased: because our Navy protects ALL countries ships from piracy, because there has not been a real war that effects trade ships since 1945, (For the longest stretch in recorded history no less) Global Poverty has dropped from 40% last century to just ~ 10% now. (Book gives sources for figures.)
20th Century: 40% Global Poverty.
21st Century: 10% Global Poverty.
This tells me though the US is not #1 in many many categories - where it counts the USA rules it all - in a good way. We are keeping the World Free - Free as it has never been before in all recorded history.
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