Self-reliance time. (Scan).(anti-Americanism among allies)

America is the new Rome--the overwhelmingly dominant civilization of her age. Unlike Rome and every other great power in history, however, she is not an imperialist nation. More than anything else, Americans want to be left alone to tend their own gardens; they have no interest in controlling or taking over other nations. In places where they become involved while keeping the global peace, they rush to get out as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, none of this decency and gentleness is going to head off resentment of American power. Americans need to recognize that an inevitable part of being the biggest guy on the block, the house adult, the global dad, is spite from other nations. Over the next generation, the distance between America's successful capitalist-individualist democracy and other civilizations is only going to widen. So forget about being beloved, Americans, because that's not in the cards.

As part of the new anti-American reality, our leaders ought to consider pulling troops out of Germany, Korea, Japan, and other spots where they no longer serve much purpose, yet function as lightning rods for bitterness. This would lower our overseas profile, save defense funds that could profitably be used elsewhere, and reduce the likelihood of international friction every time some wayward G.I. commits a crime or has a traffic accident.

Perhaps more important, an American withdrawal would stimulate our rich but decidedly lethargic allies to become more realistic about the world's dangers, less passive about confronting them, and less confident that they can constantly undercut the U.S. yet still sleep safe and sound in their beds at night.

For more than half a century, the U.S. held a shield over the eminently over-runnable German countryside. When global danger came to our shores on " 9/11, the Germans repaid us in bitter coin. That's why Marine General James Jones, the Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, is now proposing we pull all 100,000 troops (and 75,000 dependents) out of Germany. We second the motion.

The shameful recent success of Germany, France, and Belgium at preventing NATO from acting to defend member-nation Turkey against Iraq is a ...