Aldo 
do you even pay attention to soccer
http://www.soccerphile.com/soccerphile/news/fifa.html
USA #4
Czech Republic #2
Ghana #50
Italy #14
11 players on the USMNT roster are MLS players, the other 12 are from a mix of european leagues - mostly england.
Firstly, the FIFA rankings mean **** all, because they're determined as much by the oppositions' weakness as the strength of the teams' playing. Brazil are top, that's about all (the Czechs weren't even in the last WC but are 2nd). Are Mexico better than England or France? I doubt it. Are Trinidad and Tobago better than Ghana? Nae chance. Etc. You get the likes of the US, Mexico, etc high up because they play a lot of weak teams compared to the Europeans in particular.
I've never actually heard anyone claim the FIFA rankings are reliable for this, to be honest. Offhand, I think France were still ranked at or near the top after their dismal 2002 showing.
Now, looking at the Us teams' european players;
DaMarcus Beasley M PSV Eindhoven
Carlos Bocanegra D Fulham
Steve Cherundolo D Hannover 96
Bobby Convey M Reading
Cory Gibbs D ADO Den Haag
Marcus Hahnemann GK Reading
Tim Howard GK Manchester United
Kasey Keller GK Borussia Mönchengladbach
Eddie Lewis D Leeds United
Brian McBride F Fulham
Oguchi Onyewu D Standard Liège
Claudio Reyna M Manchester City
Beasley is the only one playing for a top-level team that's involved in european football (howard has been on the bench all season behind Van Der Sarr). I'm not sure if Reyna is first choice at Man City now, actually (Sibierski might be nudging ahead), but in any case both MC and Fulham haven't had a sniff of european football for ages. Both Reading and Leeds play in the 1st division (although both could be promoted this season). ADO are a mid table Dutch side, IIRC, and Hannover likewise in Germany. Mönchengladbach i'm not sure about, except that they had a bit of a 'mare when Advocaat was managing them and finished 15th in 04/05. Liege are the one team that probably can qualify regularly for europe, but Belgium is rather a poor league.
That's not to say it's a bad side,
but in terms of where players are playing, I reckon the other teams have a stronger base with the possible exception of Ghana, who have some very good players like Essien or Appiah but perhaps a weaker 2nd string.
Anyways, stop taking the huff. You'll see in a month or so, but there's been little evidence on this side of the ocean that the US are anywhere near being one of the top teams in the world. Maybe about the level of Denmark or Sweden - a solid, skillful side but without the spark of genius characterising a great side. Maybe they'll be astonishingly good, and i'll eat my words. Let's wait and see.
Worth noting that the last World Cup was utterly, utterly bizarre though in terms of results (stand up S.Korea!), with a lot of the best teams going out early when, man for man, they should have went far further. I mean, just look at Germany in Euro 2002, out in the group stages and struggling to beat Latvia.
EDIT: next Mexico? Mexico have never done well in world cups on the 'wrong' continent; no S.American team, other than Brazil, has either. The only time Mexico went beyond the 2nd round was when they hosted it (plus Mexico have been playing in the Copa America, so they have more top-level experience against the worlds best teams).
