America; Central to the World Order?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203646004577213262856669448.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLENews

Robert Kagan writes a very interesting article arguing that the world order as it is would not survive without America at its helm. What is this world order? One dominated by democracy and the prevalence of Western values (often diffused through pop culture). Kagan points to history, saying that when Rome fell so to did the world order it had created. Opponents of Kagan say that even if, say, China or Brazil were to surpass the US this would not create a restructuring of the way our world works. Only the future holds the answer.