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The Failing Empire
Comment by Larry Ross, July 17, 2007
America is failing in Iraq, even while it destroys the nation it invaded. It is destroying itself, its economy and any pretence at civilized values, while it claims to be spreading 'freedom and democracy'. In fact it is spreading death, destruction and corrupted client regimes it labels as 'democratically elected'.
It creates seedbeds of terror, hatred and resentment that will plague America and the rest of the world for generations to come. Those who are not "with the Bushites" are classed as with the terrorists and subject to kidnap, imprisonment and rendition to foreign torture chambers. America has become a nightmare empire ruled by a deluded, religious madman. This insane Sampson can not only pull the temple down on those within but destroy the world and itself as it lashes out with all its weapons - nuclear-chemical - biological and space, in its death throes.
Lamis Andoni is another political and historical commentator who seems to overlook the huge reservoir of US power constructed since 1945. The US will use this rather than admit defeat and become a hated second rate nation.
If the US chooses to allow it's madman to proceed on the path of destruction, the effects and consequences will cause human extinction. What is most remarkable is that so few people are aware, and fewer care to even try to prevent the looming global catastrophe.
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Unquestioned Right to Dominate
by Lamis Andoni, PostGlobal, July 6, 2007
While America fought lost wars, The Bear was awakened! Moving from a unipolar world to a multipolar one provides needed balance, but also might precipitate a new kind of Cold War over oil and gas. Russia is using energy as its means of regaining international prestige.
One of the main reasons for NATO expansion, from America's strategic point of view, was to prevent Russia from restoring its former influence. But Moscow's new diplomatic offensive has made large holes in America's containment policy.
America is a modern Rome: an arrogant empire that does not understand the limits of power. I guess no empire really does. This is why they rise and fall. It is not an American trait; it is the nature of unchecked power. Yet in his book, Murphy tries to construct a moral ethos for American hegemony and aggressive drive to dominate the world. Unfortunately the basic pre'ise of his argument goes against history.
Murphy's comparison between Rome and America is void of historical perspective. It nullifies world history of social, economic and political development. Humanity has gone through many struggles to move toward democratic systems and expand universal rights. The fact the Rome was not a democracy should be seen in the context of human development and not the self-serving lens of American exceptionalism. It took centuries to abolish slavery, and America has only recently shed the shame - if we are comparing with the Roman Empire timeline, this is an important element.
Modern technology, oil and advanced sciences have enabled our latest global empire to become the most powerful in history, the most devastating, the most dominating and domineering. Murphy's thesis, as presented in several interviews, is that the U.S. is different in its moral imperative and system. He argues that although the country could be veering towards self-destruction, it still has a chance to learn from Rome.
There is no doubt that at least in theory, democratic institutions should provide a moral if not a political check on excesses of imperial power. But the empire has been subverting those institutions, international law and its own declared values to ensure its hold on power and continue its expansion. One would like to take solace in the fact that an elected Congress could end the war in Iraq - that is a clear difference between a democratic American empire and slave-driven Rome.
But if we read well into the dominant American discourse - with the exception of the anti-war movement - there is no questioning of imperial notions and goals. The talk is all about whether America can succeed or not; the main point is whether America is winning or losing. There is little discussion in the establishment about whether and why America is entitled to win and to dominate. Continue....
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Beware the Bear, America
by Lamis Andoni, February 23, 2007 While America fought lost wars, The Bear was awakened! Moving from a unipolar world to a multipolar one provides needed balance, but also might precipitate a new kind of Cold War over oil and gas. Russia is using energy as its means of regaining international prestige.
One of the main reasons for NATO expansion, from America's strategic point of view, was to prevent Russia from restoring its former influence. But Moscow's new diplomatic offensive has made large holes in America's containment policy.
Continue.... |
