Not to drift too far off the point...
But the list of nations that think the U.S. sucks now, that didn't also think we sucked four years ago, is still quite short. The idea that we have lost all kinds of respect all over the world is primarily pushed by people who fervently want it to be so.
I am not "pretending" that the Middle East was more stable before, when we were arming Saddam (who was no better then) against Iran.
That we were Iraq's big arms dealer is yet another myth.
A discussion of arms sales to Iraq between 1973 and 1990 can be found here.
Make special note of the sales numbers from those nations that screamed loudest about the Coalition invasion of Iraq.