The American Empire Is Collapsing, And Americans Will Be The Last to Know

[marmar]

via AlterNet:





News Junkie Post / By Gilbert Mercier

The American Empire Is Collapsing, And Americans Will Be The Last to Know
50 years from now historians may write about the fall of empire. But history is writing itself furiously right now, accelerated by the revolution of global freedom of information.

December 15, 2010 |


50 years from now historians will probably be writing about the fall of the American empire. But history is writing itself furiously in the present, accelerated by the revolution of global freedom of information. What would have taken years to unlikely gather is accessible to anyone with a few strokes on a computer keyboard. So never mind the historians of the future, and lets see how reality is shaping up today.

The crumbling period of the United States empire started on September 11th. Since then, a chain of events so dire occurred that it would seem the empire defeated itself by a series of catastrophic mistakes. After 9/11, Americans wanted revenge, and the war in Afghanistan became a very easy sale for the Bush administration. But then the neo-cons seized the opportunity to push their agenda of the New American Century project, and it was precisely the Achille’s heel of the empire.

Attacking Iraq: The Biggest Geopolitical Blunder In History

When the Bush administration attacked Iraq in 2003, a critical element escaped their understanding of the regional and demographic parameters: By toppling the Sunni regime of Saddam Hussein, they would give the upper hand to the oppressed Shia Iraqi majority allied with Iran.

In a word, the US troops who fought and died in the conflict did it ultimately for the regional benefit of the Iranian Islamic Republic. The blunders did not stop with geopolitics, but were compounded by a catastrophic financial burden. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/world/149173/the_american_empire_is_collapsing%2C_and_americans_will_be_the_last_to_know/

[Democracyinkind]

1. Historians have been writing about the decline of the West since the late 19th century

And the decline of the American Empire is a phrase that has been popping up at least since Korea.

Hard to agree with anything in that article other than "The US empire is declining". But rec'd anyways for a stimulating read and because it is a subject that Americans should start to think about....

[niceypoo]

16. Then came the NeoCons

Keystone Kop Fascists

[CanonRay]

2. Empire? What Empire?

:shrug:

[Democracyinkind]

3. The one we built when we made the dollar the reserve currency of the world.

You think we're fucked now?

Wait till the world catches up with the fact that there's no legitimate reason for them to clear their debts using dollars.

Me, you, and everyone reading this is still reaping enormous profits from the Empire - none of our current living standards could be maintained without it.

And yes, I see the irony in writing this, since many on DU are in absolute economic hardship... But the argument still counts: They'd be worse off if we lost our tools of imperial power-brokering (like the dollar as reserve currency) overnight.

[raccoon]

4. "There is none so blind as he who will not see." Lots of people don't WANT to see it.

And, of course, the MSM is not very informative.

Rec'd.

[avaistheone1]

11. I agree.

My friends who are pretty smart people have been in a state of denial about it, but now they are even coming around.

[Dr.Phool]

5. I made that call before the invasion.

If we overthrew Saddam, the absolute best we would wind up with, would be a Iranian-allied Shia theocracy. Maybe I was wrong about the theocracy part, but, it's not over yet.

Empires tend to die, because maintaining them is costly, and sucks the life's blood out of the powers economy. Look at what it's costing us now.

This madness cannot continue. It will end. Horribly.

[bemildred]

6. Lot's of us did. Respected diplomats did. General Giap did.

And nothing has happened since to contradict that assessment either. There is a rich irony in it, and yet our ruling elites still cling to their illusions, and our political process remains mired in juvenile arguments and delusional fantasies.

[BobbyBoring]

7. Me Thinks

The decline started with Raegan but really accelerated when the SCOTUS installed GWB. Where were these champions of state rights then?

[chervilant]

10. Yes,

And, who is the author of this rather topical article? His analysis is simplistic, and he fails to address the machinations of the Corporate Megalomaniacs who are holding the puppet strings of the various entities he named as the major drain on the US GDP.

The members of the Global Oligarchy are few in number (less the 370), yet they own and control more than 45% of the world's resources, including human resources.

The top 400 richest people are from Australia, Austria, Bahama, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

Despite the geographic diversity of the uber wealthy, their common socioeconomic status renders each a member of Richistan, whose citizenry enjoy the rarest of comestibles, the finest accommodations, the most expensive trinkets, and richly appointed, exclusive residences. Denizens of Richistan travel in private jets, yachts, and limos; and they NEVER discuss their wealth.

Fully one-third of the wealthiest 400 are from the United States. Almost half of the 50 wealthiest people are from the United States. (Bill Gates was toppled from his rarefied status as the richest person on the planet in March of this year; replaced by Mexican mogul Carlos Slim Helu.)

When you contemplate this radical income inequity, dear reader, please understand viscerally, that you are NOT a member of this exclusive club, nor are you likely to EVER be. You are an insignificant member of the vast hoi polloi. The denizens of Richistan comprise a mere 5.8 X 10^(-10)% of our planet's population. For those of you who are math illiterate (please, understand that you are likely to have had a less than optimal experience learning math, for a reason), that number is 0.00000000058%. You are more likely to win the lottery than join the ranks of the uber wealthy.

If anyone thinks that the decline of the US as the premier superpower Global Bully will have any real impact on the wealth and power of the uber wealthy, I have to offer you exclusive beach front property in Las Vegas.

[JawJaw]

12. I agree, BB

Although 9-11 was a highly visible turning point, I think the 2000 coup was the real "crossing the Rubicon" moment.

[Mosaic]

8. All empires end

It sickens me that our standard of living is maintained by an immoral empire most either don't know about or worse are indifferent to. Frankly, I'd rather we were 3rd world if we could stop the killing and meddling in other countries. Canada, Germany, and Australia are not empires, we should look to be more like them.

[russspeakeasy]

9. The American Experiment has been over for 25 years

we are just now learning about it.

[sirthomas66]

13. Iraq was the US's Parthia (Roman Empire) and Obama is enlarging

the wounds that George Bush opened. The blood is gushing out. Death will come relatively soon. I'll be long gone. I hope that the younger ones will have some quality time with their families before China closes the curtain.

[chervilant]

14. hmph!

I refuse to indulge in such a cavalier attitude about the evolution of our species. US' ascendency is NOT the raison d'etre of the human species. That we are at a critical fork in our evolutionary road is unarguable. If We the People choose to slog down the primrose path (with our arrogant and hedonistic blinders firmly in place), then we richly deserve to watch our entire species struggle to survive our hubris. I doubt the rest of the world agrees.

[sirthomas66]

15. I agree with that, particularly your last sentence.

[madriver]

17. Only half true...

The whole notion of Empire as we know it is in flux, thanks to the Internet and Globalization.

Empires will now reside in computers and in virtual environments, such as those run by financial institutions.