(Now listening to 'Crush the Losers', by Regurgitator. It seems oddly appropriate considering the state of the world right now, considering the prevailing zeitgeist of small-minded conservatism.)
The world is in a constate state of flux. People who grew strong in earlier times become victims of changing circumstances. Take Microsoft's intense lobbying efforts to squelch consideration of Open Source solutions in government on both sides of the Pacific. They are afraid because a far more vibrant, powerful, enduring player (or rather, a million of them) had come into being to challenge their market power.
Even with Microsoft currently, virtually owning consumer and corporate IT, their dominance cannot last, and undoubtedly, Open Source will have a role in their downfall. Underhanded lobbying wars will just delay the inevitable.
At the risk of being inflammatory, I'll wager that certain small countries under the patronage of the United States, and surrounded by increasingly powerful neighbours will go the same way as Microsoft, unless they too learn to embrace change.