There is no way 2:28 runners will push each other to run world class times. And funding is not the issue because runners who have potential in Sweden are funded by SOC.
I believe Americans want a winner but they want the winner to be a legitimate winner i.e. win by running a world class time and beat other world class runners. Meb is a world class runner. I do not think Boston or New York will ever create a xenophobic style selection system. Neither will Stockolm clearly.
The general public may not distinguish times. But once the media starts reporting that the mediocre times are because of xenophobic principles, the public will take notice. They will tune out and so will sponsors. Nobody wants to associate with mediocrity when it is caused by xenophobia.
And I think most of you are trying to speak on behalf of the Swedes saying the like a race with locals better. This simply is not true. The organizers backtracked because of the public backlash. And I repeat, the backlash was from Swedish fans not bloggers or the media or the East Africans.