It stood, in fact, on the edge of great-power status.

Although the costs of the war in Chechnya greatly exceeded expectations, the president continued his rhetoric about Russia's great-power status.

At the same time, he described Iran's ambitions as reflecting a desire to restore Persia's great-power status, rather than driven by religious convictions.

And they saw Mr. Gorbachev's reforms as the only way to restore their country to great-power status.

Formal or informal acknowledgment of a nation's great-power status has also been a criterion for being a great power.

Socialism could not create the wealth needed for the Welfare State as well as great-power status.

There is opposition at home from those who think that Russia's great-power status can be restored only by balancing against the United States.

It accelerated Spain's descent from great-power status.

Even now, under Vladimir Putin, Russia is clearly trying to reassert a great-power status to which Russians feel entitled by geography and history.

It is not unknown in history for a great country to ignore fundamental problems until too late - until national decline from great-power status is irreversible.