For a country supposedly in decline, the United States is getting a lot of attention these days. Millions of people around the world, not counting 84 million in the United States, were glued to screens watching the Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump bout on Monday.

Go through a pile of European newspapers, and you'll see the US electoral battle unfolding on page one. Same for the lead stories on TV. Russia is outmaneuvering the United States in Syria, China is expanding in the Western Pacific, but Clinton and Trump get the ratings worldwide.

Why? First, whatever Trump spouts about has-been America, the United States remains the one and only global power: No. 1 in terms of economic, military and cultural clout. What it does, and what it doesn't do, affects the entire world. Hence, the American president is "our" president, too.

How shall we count the ways? Take Europe. If a President Trump made true on his threats against NATO, the suddenly exposed Europeans would have to make nice with Russia. The 'Easties' on NATO's most exposed flank would be quaking. They remember life under the Soviet Union.