America sits at the pinnacle of global power. Our economy is booming. We are the only remaining superpower in the world. Our allies look to us for leadership in a crisis. We are in the catbird's seat. Or, are we?

Along with our economic and military might goes a responsibility for maintaining a strong international presence and building lasting relationships with countries around the world. Global leadership is the mantle we've sought; now that we have it, we need to act on it. We have a long way to go.

Around the world, our embassies are crumbling. They may be protected by massive barricades and armed guards, but their innards are an embarrassment. Broken down furniture and peeling walls are hardly the signs of a world power. Outdated computer and communications systems limit the flow of critical information. Embassy staffs with numerous vacancies cannot meet the needs of businesspeople or travelers, much less manage important U.S. diplomatic interests.

What's going wrong when the world's richest nation looks like a beggar? Well, Congress, for one. They appropriate the money to maintain America's international presence. Apart from military expenditures, according to The Washington Post, our spending on all overseas activities last year was slightly over 1% of our budget (that's 20% less, adjusted for inflation, than 20 years ago).

It's not just money; it's attitudes. U.S. House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay (Texas), recently bragged to a Post reporter that he had squeezed the hand of the Chinese ambassador to Belgrade as hard as he could and given him a little jerk. Then, putting his nose in the ambassador's face, he'd told him not to think America was weak. Insults do not pass for diplomacy and disrespect for other people and countries does not make America strong.

Senator Jesse Helms (South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is another powerful anti-internationalist who seems to think that discourtesy towards diplomats from around the world generates reverence for America's might. Wrong. What these 2 members of Congress don't understand is that disdain for others breeds contempt for us. That is not the mark of world leadership.

Fortunately, there are many on both sides of the aisle in Congress who understand the importance of maintaining the United States' preeminence in the world. Unfortunately, they don't chair the key committees that oversee our international affairs. We should encourage them to speak out more.

American citizens certainly have interests that are international. In 1999, nearly 35 million of us traveled to our neighbors, Canada and Mexico, and 25 million of us went overseas. Our largest companies, and many not so huge, are global in reach and rely heavily on world markets to sell their products. For U.S. stockholders, workers and travelers, a strong American presence overseas is absolutely critical to our safety, security and economic well-being.

As we've discovered in Bosnia and Kosovo, sending in troops and bombs to defuse a crisis isn't enough. Democracy doesn't spring naturally from an uneasy peace maintained only by foreign forces.

Peace, democracy, human rights and open markets require a great deal more than arms. They require a sustained diplomatic presence that lasts beyond military force. This can only be provided by Americans who speak the local language, understand the culture and represent American values. It's a long-term commitment. To make it work, these Americans must have the resources to do their jobs well.

But, the importance of our international activities is much more than intervening in crises. It is also assuring a fair competitive environment for American goods, helping our companies find foreign partners and encouraging others to buy our products. It is working cooperatively with other governments on dealing with dangerous adversaries, getting food to starving people and assuring airline safety. It is coaxing enemies to talk peace, working with others to preserve the environment and watching out for our security interests.

This is the role a global leader must play. It is what we should expect from our government. Along with the great privilege of being the world's greatest power goes the huge responsibility of using that power to advance humankind.