What can the United States do, in the whole global scheme of things, to make the world a better place not only for Americans but for the rest of the world too?

To put it bluntly, get it’s f**king nose out of every other country’s affairs.

@Blue: I was going to type the exact same thing. you beat me to it.

Globally, a huge difference could be made by bringing our financial and scientific resources to bear on the most severe health crisis of the developing world: AIDS, malaria, TB, availability of clean drinking water. These are all quite tractable problems where our focused backing could be transformative.

If we must ask what’s in it for us we would eventually benefit economically and would turn around our plummeting world image.

Stop starting wars for oil. I was talking to a British Military Policeman the other day and the word is that there is alot of oil in Afghanistan hence they are not going to be pulling out anytime soon.

We can seriously address the global warming problem. This will first help the low lying nations that are in danger of being swept away by the ocean, but it will also help reduce other weather-related problems all over the world.

As to foreign policy—we can start talking to other nations, even the ones we call terrorist. We can also start respecting other nations. We can stop being the world’s bully.

As to the economy: we can stop using foreign aid as a way to give American companies more business, and actually use it to seriously develop other countries, by letting them make their own decisions about how to use it. It could be funneled through NGOs instead of foreign governments (sending it to foreign leaders just encourages rampant corruption).

Stop policing it.

stop trying to get all the oil.

First we have to get ourselves right. We need to commit ourselves to the Constitution especially the goals laid out in the Preamble:
1. to work together to improve unity
2. to make sure there is justice for all
3. to work toward peace at home
4. to protect ourselves against invasion
5. to make sure all Americans have a decent life
6. to maintain and provide the same for future generations.

It seems we have lost touch with the very ideals this country was founded on over the last 30 years and without that moral and ideological compass we have lost our way.

If we can find the right path again, we need to show the world how a great nation can function. A great President said “The people all over the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than the example of our power.

We need to become the archetype instead of the antagonizer.

We really do need to get our own house in order…poverty, health care, education reform etc. After we accomplish that, we should become a force for good. Helping other countries in the ways Harp and Daloon suggested. Even, or maybe especially, those countries that consider us an enemy. Sustained efforts of good will on our part will do the most to convince people around the world that we are not the enemy.