WASHINGTON, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States is not a good model for other liberal states, and its public trust in government is at historically low levels, the Foreign Policy website recently commented.

In an article titled "Could the United States still lead the world if it wanted to," Stephen M. Walt, a columnist at the news publication and the Robert and Renee Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University doubted the U.S. leadership role in the world.

"The first question we need to answer is whether the United States is a good model for other liberal states. The second question is whether its policy judgments are ones that others should trust and follow, especially with respect to foreign policy," the article said. "On balance, the answer to both questions is 'no.'"

Besides the political system, the article also criticized the U.S. foreign policy, noting that it "used to be pretty good at this role, but the past several decades have cast considerable doubt on its collective political wisdom."

The authors concluded that "given this track record, there is little reason for Americans to see themselves as wise leaders on the world stage and little reason for others in the free world to follow its guidance uncritically."