The beginning of the end of the American hegemony: how and why?

DILIP HIRO is the author of 28 books, including Iraq: A Report from the Inside (2003), Neighbors, Not Friends, Iraq and Iran after the Gulf Wars (2001), Desert Shield to Desert Storm: The Second Gulf War (1992), Iran under the Ayatollahs (1985) and Inside the Middle East (1982). He is a frequent commentator on Middle Eastern and Islamic affairs on such British, Irish and North American broadcasting channels as the BBC Wolrd, News 24, Sky News, CNN, Al Jazeera English and RTE. His latest books are Iran Today (2006) and Secrets and Lies: The True Story of the Iraq War (2005).