I was told by economic historians that if the Us ever lost its status at the biggest economic power in the world, it would pale in comparison to a nuclear attack or 911 combined. The reason is that the Us projects its power primarily throught economic power. Look at russia. it has nukes, a large miltary, but its bascially a regional power. Once the warsaw economic block broke apart, all of its power disapated, and its relagated to minor status. so it begs the question, when china overtakes the us, is that a greater threat then any terriost attack? Look at what happened when the roman empire or british empire fell. Either its complete economic collapse or 2nd world status with no real power or no control over our destiny.
He didn't win it - it was in inside job. Who on the inside? Who made the most $ from the collapse and had access to helping make it happen?
That's why they let Lehman go under. It collapsed the world financial system and forced other central banks to back US policy again. Remember the ECB last summer raising the rate? Now they have come down to 1%. The dollar standard was saved, but only by risking a total collapse of the US economy. They played a very risky game, but it worked.
Everyone in the world was telling Americans they were going down the wrong path. Being paranoid and myopic though GWB was still elected for a second term based on his "toughness".