Pride Takes Temporal Priority To A Gravitational Event

Clueless in Gaza

Or, it goeth before a fall. The American Empire as devotedly mythed out by the minor intellects of Neoconservatism has come to an end, lasting about 20 years. A nine day wonder. Of course, nothing is absolutely cast in incorruptible adamantine, so we could see a change, but the only way America could recapture empire is to turn to the dark side. First, read Nouriel Roubini's article: http://www.rgemonitor.com/roubini-monitor/253323/the_decline_of_the_american_empire  
The Decline of the American Empire  
Nouriel Roubini Aug 13, 2008 

  ...First, the US squandered its power by relying excessively on its hard military power in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and in its unilateralist foreign policy – including economic issues such as global warming - rather than relying more on its soft power of diplomacy and multilateralist approaches to global policy issues. Second, regardless of mistaken US policies the rise of other economic and financial powers – the rise of China, the recent resurgence of Russia, the process of economic and political integration in the European Union, the emergence of India, and the rise of other regional powers such as Brazil, South Africa and Iran – implies that the relative economic, financial and geopolitical power of the US will be reduced over time...

Then consider the fact that the USA cannot actually do anything militarily to assist Georgia. It is too deeply committed in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are no troops. There are too many fires and not enough firemen. Similarly Poland: if Russia were to put pressure on Poland...or the Ukraine...what could the USA do? Very little, indeed. It could replace its defensive missiles with offensive missiles, but it was probably already working out those details. It would have to reinstitute the Universal Draft. Then it could raise another 1 to 2 million troops as needed. These troops combined with technology and you have the Empire striking back. The next election may lead us down this path. Thanks again to George W. Bush and Richard Cheney for getting us tickets between the Rock and a Hard Place.

The Future is History!

(The symbols from 12 Monkeys I deem appropriate for George W. Bush and the Republican Party.)

--