Why is the USA not mentioned in the end times prophesies?

Many of us have speculated about why the world's current super-power (the USA) does not seem to be involved in the events of the end times. Several possibilities have been put forth, including:

1. An EMF pulse-bomb destroying all electrical and electronic systems in the US. (Yes, that could happen!)
2. Nuclear attack by a foreign power, such as China.
3. Collapse of our Republic, perhaps due to foreign invasion (the border and illegal immigration problem carried to the extreme).
4. Collapse of our economy.

There was an article in telegraph.co.uk today that relates to item 4.

China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

Last Updated: 9:54am BST 08/08/2007

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.

Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.

Described as China's "nuclear option" in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is already breaking down through historic support levels.

more ....

The bottom line is that China owns so much of our US Treasury notes that they could attack our economy by dumping them, that is, placing them all on the market to drive the price down into the basement. This could cause the value of the dollar to collapse, destroy the bond market, and drive the US economy into a severe depression.

I've been reading warnings about this for some time, but this is the first I've seen of a Chinese government official acknowledging that they might attack us in this fashion.