How do you feel about these two quotes (On US Power)?

[JanMichael]

"We have 50 percent of the world's wealth, but only 6.3 percent of its population. . . In this situation we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will allow us to maintain this position of disparity. We should cease to talk about the raising of the living standards, human rights, and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better."

-- George Kennan, Director of Policy Planning of the U.S. Dept. of State, 1948

"The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist -- McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell-Douglas, the designer of the F-15. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's technologies is called the US Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps."

-- Thomas Friedman, "A Manifesto for the Fast World", New York Times Magazine, March 28, 1999

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Me? I'm not too fond of either sentiment.


PS~ I find Kennon's comments much more eloquent than Friedman, at least in his depth of understanding, perhaps it's a generational thing...There seems to be more clarity.

[GreenArrow]

1. "everywhere man is born free

and everywhere he is in chains."

I'm reminded of the scene in 2001 where the "apes" are fighting over the mudhole.

Are we not men? We are Devo.