Acts of Volition

I don’t know if it’s just American spelling, but I think it’s “descent.” “Decent” in America means okay.

Oops. Fixed.

I think China has the brightest future of any country at this point. As they gradually include themselves into the world market, they will slowly eclipse America's buying power. They have 1.3 billion people. It's inevitable.

I, too, think the United States will slowly decrease in relevence over the years. Not because we're getting worse, though (even if the Bush compaign has been a temporary regression), it's becasue the rest of the world is getting better. They're learning from our progress as well as from our mistakes.

The next 50 years are going to be incredibly interesting.

I respect your commentary, Steve. However, its kind of hard to talk about "America" in just a generic, general sense. It's so large, so populous, so diverse, so free, that generalizations of it as a country do little good. Since the government has little control over the populace, the government may veer in one direction, while the people head in another (like the last four years or so).

America vs the world is a nice way to attack American actions (I'm not calling your piece an attack) but in fact, it's pretty inaccurate, since the immigrant population is so high, and US-born Americans often hold such close ties to their heritage, it'd be more accurate to say America is the world, and is the thick of where its going. Also don't confuse America with American-made, commercially-successful exports (like entertainment). Many Americans don't like that stuff either. But it sells. Here and elsewhere. For example, people love to shell out $US 10 to see stuff blow up in dark movie theatres. It's certainly not uniquely American.

As a regular American reader of your blog, I think we're more like you than you may realize. And many of us, less so than you may think. And yes, space based missle defense is silly. Unless you're a defense contractor. Government bloat and corporate connections and bone-head politicians weren't invented in America. Refined here, perhaps.

In ten years, or fifteen, or twenty-five, the lights in America will dim and it will see beyond its own glare, look around, and see that it is no longer the center of the world and that the rest of the planet has moved on without them.

Opponents and adversaries of the United States have been saying this since World War II. I guess if it makes you feel better about yourselves, keep telling yourself this little story. Every indicator of economic growth directly contradicts your view.

~bc: Great points. I'm particularly aware of the weakness of making generalizations of what is already a generalization (a country). I often criticize when people anthropomorphize conceptual entities, like corporations or countries, so I'm in a bit of a glass house on this one.

Steven:

While you're right about many of these things, let me explain who missile defense is defending against: China and North Korea. No one will say it, but the threat is credible. As you might know, I live in Huntsville, Alabama, where many of America's greatest rockets were designed and tested. We know who the threat is---China's entry into the space race is also a polite way of saying, "You know we have nukes, and now you know that we can land them in your country." Spaceflight is generally as precise as strategic nuclear warfare.

Of course, I don't think that BMDO and DoD are managing the missile defense initiative very well, but I speak as a government contractor---I work on the NASA side of the house, and have no real desire to do the military stuff---so my view is askew.

Having a ballistic missile defense system is simply a part of the greater American military philosophy: be so strong that no one will really want to mess with you on a large scale. That's great against nation-states ... not so much against terrorists. But then nation-states can kill a lot more folks at one swipe.

Just adding in my bit ... I concur that we as a nation lumber on through the world as the big, stumbling oaf.

Well Steven, you certainly make a salient point, one which, ironically, many Americans would happily agree with (though many more, whose conception of the United States is somewhat narrower and tied to their own self-image would vehemently denounce).

I think that the problem with your analysis is that it's completely right, to point of sounding ipso facto... like it's already known or felt that America as a geographic "place" is diminishing in its importance or relevance.

It's that globalization and globalized capital are permeating the world at a much wider and faster rate than ever before, and a great deal of it simply originates in the US or is controlled by firms located in the US. That they are "American" companies, as you've pointed out, is becoming less and less relevant. Geographic point of origin may dictate certain qualities of a company but I don't think that it shapes the focus of a company's core markets as it used to, nor does it control where or how they do business, as the examples of Bechtel or Halliburton would reveal.

So what your essay lacks and what I think we should really consider discussing is: what IS America? I think that ~bc contributed some important thoughts towards this topic but it goes beyond just the fact that the US is "so large, so populous, so diverse, so free, that generalizations of it as a country do little good." I think that there are four quadrants to this discussion, namely:
<ul>
<li>the American economic system (capitalism)</li>
<li>America's forgeign policy (which encompasses more than just its military prowess; it also concerns how it conceives of itself in law when it comes to other countries (Kyoto and the ICC come to mind))</li>
<li>American pop culture (which I would argue has the least to do with America today and is the least controlled by the "United States" -- American pop culture has more to do with brands reshaping themselves as false indigenous species to take economic advantage than to truly contribute to local cultures)</li>
<li>and finally, the actual 6 million or so geographic inhabitants of the United States</li>
</ul>
Thus if you discussed this topic with these distinctions in mind, I feel like your analysis would be more interesting, viable and accurate. Again, as ~bc pointed out, you can't simply lump "America" together and say that it's starting its descent. In fact, a more interesting observation might revisit the history of former empires, especially the Grecian and Roman eras, whose people subsided due to their excesses but yet left a lasting and permanant mark on the face of civilization forever.

Perhaps the more frightening issue here is not whether "America the place" is beginning its long downward descent, but who will be taken down with it? And what will the impending chaso bring to the world? Certainly I'm not suggesting that this process is going to happen any time soon, but I think that, like Steven, I can recognize certain trends that suggest more than just superficial cracks in the superstructure of the social phenomenon of American culture.

If we Americans, the "elephant itself", sense that our knees are beginning to buckle under the weight of our girth, than what can we learn from those around us watching us topple over while we, in grave denial, simply believe that the world around us is crashing down on everyone else?

The interesting thing, Chris, is you assume that was an argument.

Haven't read the comments. Loved the post, which, as a European, sounds about right.

America sees the world in need of policing, while the world sees America as something from which you should protect yourself.

America is the world's cop because 1. the world needs one, and 2. no one else will do it, and 3. no one else can do it.

Truth is, the world relies on the US to do its dirty work for them. America defends and provides military training and support for nearly half the world. And that's not because we want to, it's because we're asked to and we know we have to.

Steven, interesting post. Absolutely the kind of thing you'd expect a Canadian to write :)

I say it's interesting because as an American somedays I feel just as you do. I feel as though we're the Roman empire, too rich, fat and happy to care anymore. I see the Barbarians on our doorstep (radical Islam) and I can't help but feel that history is about to repeat itself. (That's one of the reasons I'm a Bush supporter. He actually seems to recognise the dangers facing my country.) If America falls to some extent that's a scary thing. Look at what happened when Roman empire fell to the Barbarians.

But other days I go to work, walk through my town, spend time with friends and family and I find none of the decay that is taken for granted in intellectual discussion. To tell the truth in my personal experience I find this country to be moving forward at faster rate than I have ever known. (I'm only 21 so my range of memory is somewhat limited.) My business is booming, our country seems to have recognized the threats to our security and most importantly I'm free live my life as I please without hinderence from the government. What more can you ask of America?

Being globally relevant doesn't appear anywhere in our constitution and frankly as long as I have my freedom, I could care less. Perhaps that's one of the reasons this country has been sucessful.

<i>In ten years, or fifteen, or twenty-five, the lights in America will dim and it will see beyond its own glare, look around, and see that it is no longer the center of the world and that the rest of the planet has moved on without them.</i>

Not to sound like a pessimist, but I have absolute faith in the United States' convictions. I'm not saying that I support the U.S. in its' efforts to dominate the world, but they have become so powerful and so far-reaching that the hope for dramatic change is, I fear, completely lost.

Carl: I don't agree that the world needs a "world police," but you're right in saying that no one else will/can do it. But I also feel that the operations that the U.S. has embarked on overseas are for a much more underhanded purpose than just keeping the world safe.

Levi:

<i>... and frankly as long as I have my freedom, I could care less.</i>

That, to me, is the definition of the apathy that the U.S. government makes very good use of.

Being "globally relevant" is an extremely important thing! We all live on the same planet; how are we going to survive if we don't realize problems elsewhere that may not affect us now, but could affect our children or grandchildren in a huge way?

Being globally relevant IS important with emerging powerhouse countries like China and a true European Union in the picture. I think the point here is that the rest of the world seems to be moving towards a truly global community while the US government seems intent on shrinking in on itself while pushing the world out more than ever. And the 'descent' is not really going to be economic or cultural ruin, but that the US will look up and find the rest of the world has decided to work together and the US will be excluded. To say that it can't happen without US help is arrogant and shortsighted. Global initiatives like the Kyoto Accord aren't being developed by the US but the rest of the world, while the US continues to remove itself from the world community by ignoring the UN (Although the UN needs some changes itself) and trying to impose it's values on the rest of the world.

The US governement doesn't have the market on military prowess and training, they ask the Canadian forces to train them in mounted recce tactics every year. The walk tall and carry a big stick philosophy on defense is arguably one of the reasons the US is a target to terrorists, it's not that the terrorists 'hate freedom' as GWB puts it. They could give a damn whether a housewife in Idaho is free or not, it has to do with how US policies affect there daily lives. The US playing political games; training this group of murderer's over that one to gain leverage on oil and oil money is the reason the middle eastern countries hate them so much.

The fact that some of you can't see these things show how closed some of your views on the world is. The US is free and it's people for the most part are decent hardworking people, but your governement has been making enemies behind your backs and signing deals with devils for a long time.

Now I am not one of those Michael Moore followers who believes he is your countries modern day hero, in fact I have stated before that I dislike the man and his tactics, so don't think I am basing my opinions on popular opinon. In fact in the upcoming election I only slightly favour John Kerry over Bush but I think the US needs a leader with a lot more vision and intelligence than either man has shown so far to build a viable future for the US. I hope I am wrong and whoever is elected does well for the US as I believe the majority of it's citizens are inherently good human beings and deserve the all the best.

Well, this was a long and meandering post, hope it makes sence and doesn't step on anyones toes. I've said enough on the matter, on to more mundane things (like work...)

Levi:
Being "globally relevant" is an extremely important thing! We all live on the same planet; how are we going to survive if we don't realize problems elsewhere that may not affect us now, but could affect our children or grandchildren in a huge way?

I absolutely agree, but that's not what this article is talking about. Let me qoute:

More recently in my life, I’ve become aware that while America lumbers on, still the center of it’s own universe, the rest of the world isn’t paying attention anymore. America is becoming irrelevant.

This is such a silly paragraph. For one, the rest of the world is more obsessed with America than ever. (Just look at how people from the UK are trying to convince our citizens on who to elect.) But most importantly, I could care less if I'm deemed "irrelevent" by the rest of the world if I still live a free life. That's the crux of the issue.

Citizens living in freedom has never and never will be irrelevent.

The more I think about it, in the light of current events, how can anyone even suggest that America is globally irrelevent? I can't belive someone would even suggest that.

Andy:

The reason the middle east s us is because they see us as a Christian, Jew-loving/controlled nation. They didn't kill five thousand of our citizens because they disliked our economic policy or George Bush.

Sorry about posting so much. I need to get back to work...

Not to over analyze a small remark but I think it's incredibly Canadian to say, "The future lives in Asia, South America, Europe, Africa". It’s classic Canadian defeatism (and disrespectful to Mexico). We love being on the sidelines and not having to take any risks. We debate on the CBC how the WTC attacks are going to affect us, what Canadian city may be the next target? This stuff is like a game to Canadians because we have nothing at stake. No one cares about Canada because Canada doesn't care about itself. Canadians love to blame this backboneless state on the Americans; it's so hard to have a presence when we have THAT for a neighbor. What we need is to stop worrying so much about the US and start developing some self-respect. I certainly don’t mean this in any kind of a ra-ra Canada way, manufactured patriotism isn’t the answer. What I mean is let's start taking some responsibility for change ourselves.

How dare you speak your mind freely about the Greatest Country On Earth™! </sarcasm>

Without slighting all the good things about the U.S. which get overlooked in all such discussions, the truth is that white European imperialism began long before the U.S. existed. I think that it's important to look at the larger scheme of history and see the same behaviors and events repeating themselves.

It's nice to think that the world will somehow turn into a utopia, but it's not going to. The battle between imperialists, extremists and others is simply part of the larger battle that involves every person, which we will soon be unable to ignore.

The fact that you have to attempt to explain how America is losing power is yet another sign that the United States is still the worlds sole super-power and that our position as such is cemented for the foreseeable future.

I also have the philosophy of "if you don't like America, fine, leave or stay out." We still take care of half the world and do the jobs (e.g. Iraq) that no other country is willing to do because either they are either too small and couldn't affect change if they tried or they are full of appeasing and corrupt politicians who are too afraid of losing political capital to consider using their power for good.

I'm not saying that America is perfect--half of our country wants to elect the completely spineless John Kerry to president, but we are the last stronghold of freedom in the world and regardless of any global opinion (including the consensus of the Canadians and American liberals) we'll remain that way.

Keep watching and predicting our decent to irrelevancy in 25 years... I personally wouldn't hold my breath.

To Marcus Vorwaller: If you care so little for our opinions why bother posting here at all? I also have the philosophy of "if you don't like Acts of Volition, fine, leave or stay out." I'm kidding, but if that's your real attitude I think it's kind of backwards to think other people care about your own opinions.

To m: It's not that I don't care for your opinions, I just don't care for your politics. When you attack or demean my country, I could either turn a blind eye and let it happen without defending it (which is what you're saying you expect me to do) or I could stand and defend my country and beliefs.

I'm sure we agree on many other subjects--music for instance, but this just happens to be one where we strongly disagree.

Oh... and I meant descent ;)

yafujifide: China? Communist China? Sweatshop China? I almost choked on my pretzel when I read that one.

The problem is, " if we don't like America, fine, will you leave or stay out? "

I have to say that the moment Ahmurikans start talking about " FREEDOM " [ tm ] about 80% of the rest of the world is rolling in the aisles with tears of laughter at how duped they are; the 20% quaking with the fear of death knowing that it means the corporate boot boys are about to wade in to their nations, to maim and destroy next.

what drugs are they putting in their sugared water to make them believe all that stuff !?!

Ahmurika ...

look in the mirror you ignorant, obese, racist, bible bashing, porn obsessed, infantile thug of an oil junky, polluting, zionistic mammonist.

yup, go chew up and spit out up a perfectly good planet and its peoples ... but whatever you do, don't stop taking the drugs because the rest of us are not going to be able to cope with your rehab.

and if there is any chance that you carry your crusade into space within the next few generations, please go! take all of them with you! even the porn actresses ... and especially the SUVs.

because if you dont;

Europe is going to rise again, unite and conquer you and make you all drive around in batery powered Chinese made Fiat Cinquecento.

[ albeit, one each because that is all the Ahmurikan that could fit inside one ].

Ahmurika's pride is about as pumped up, artificial and worthless as those porn actresses' boobies; and as viciously defended by its pimps. Pimp and whores, pimps and whores ...

Saddy, more Ahmurkians join its military than voluntarily actually get a passport of their own accord.

I find it terribly strange for someone to take offense to an essay about the descent of the "American Empire". It's not something to be sad about, or angry about, it's just something to acknowledge. The world is changing drastically and rapidly, and the United States is just losing it's star position.

It's not that the United States is going to be defeated in any sense of the word, it's simply a matter of fading into the limelight. Terrorism isn't going to destroy America. Neither is economical shifts.

The rest of the world, however, is finally learning how to stand on their own. We don't need a single super power anymore, the world is too diverse for that. The fall of the American Empire is really nothing more than a slight shift, from world police officer, to more of a global parental role.

I just hope the United States government catches on to that.

Canin:

"We don't need a single super power anymore"

I think that's where the rest of the world misses the boat with America. Of course the world doesn't need a single superpower. America has only been #1 since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90's. We don't want to be the single superpower, things just are that way for the time being. We can't help it.

Give it ten or twenty years and there'll be another superpower to pick on, maybe then the rest of the world will leave us alone.

We don't want an empire, we just want our country to be free and to live our lives as we see fit. How is that wrong?

And by the way - I don't mean to offend - but in the land of irrelevent nations, isn't Canada king?

> The problem is, " if we don't like America, fine, will you leave or stay out? "

Sure... we promise not to invade your country unless you attack us or harbor those that do. Fair enough?

>I have to say that the moment Ahmurikans start talking about " FREEDOM " [ tm ] about 80% of the rest of the world is rolling in the aisles with tears of laughter at how duped they are; the 20% quaking with the fear of death knowing that it means the corporate boot boys are about to wade in to their nations, to maim and destroy next.

Ok, fine... laugh. That's exactly what I'm saying, I DON'T care! If I'm being duped, I'll take it! I've lived elsewhere, I know what I had then and what I have now and I'll take America! Capitalism and all!

>what drugs are they putting in their sugared water to make them believe all that stuff !?!

I agree... we drink too much coke.. if that's what your suggesting.

>Ahmurika ...

>look in the mirror you ignorant, obese, racist, bible bashing, porn obsessed, infantile thug of an oil junky, polluting, zionistic mammonist.
Ignorant - isn't everyone about something?

obese- not I
racist- definitely not
bible bashing- if you mean religious, I'll concede that one to you, but it's one of the tenants of Christianity to let others believe how and what they will. How different this is from the beliefs of other prevalent religions or the attitude of many atheists who seem to view religion as the ultimate threat to their happiness.
porn obsessed - not me... and if you want porn obsessed, look at Europe! You don't even have to open the covers of your magazines to find porn. It's all over your billboards, phone booths and every where else you look!
infantile thug of an oil junky- I kind of like the sound of that...
polluting - it's all relative... we are one of the biggest countries on Earth after all
zionistic mammonist - is that a reference to the Matrix ;)

>yup, go chew up and spit out up a perfectly good planet and its peoples ... but whatever you do, don't stop taking the drugs because the rest of us are not going to be able to cope with your rehab. and if there is any chance that you carry your crusade into space within the next few generations, please go! take all of them with you! even the porn actresses ... and especially the SUVs.

That was intelligent. Do some real research on SUV's and their contribution to pollution, then come complain about them.

>because if you dont; Europe is going to rise again, unite and conquer you and make you all drive around in batery powered Chinese made Fiat Cinquecento. [ albeit, one each because that is all the Ahmurikan that could fit inside one ].

Is that a threat? Because it seems pretty empty to me. Creatively worded, but entirely devoid of significance.

>Ahmurika's pride is about as pumped up, artificial and worthless as those porn actresses' boobies; and as viciously defended by its pimps. Pimp and whores, pimps and whores ...

I thought it was me who was porn obsessed? You can't seem to stop mentioning it... Yes, I'm proud to be an American. Aren't you proud of the country you're from? If not, you're jealous.

>Saddy, more Ahmurkians join its military than voluntarily actually get a passport of their own accord.

Really what have you accomplished with this post? You've said you hate America and all it stands for.... fine, because in the long haul, what you think isn't going to change a single thing and choosing to live such a hate-filled life will only harm you.

Great discussion so far everyone. Thanks.

Since the topics can be a bit heated, it's easy to slip into attack mode. We haven't so far, but I thought it couldn't hurt to post a friendly reminder here to play nice.

All I have to say is: History repeats itself.

Human evolution is inevitable. No matter how advanced we become with technology or what-have-you, people will act on instinct.

<i>That person has a bigger stick than me; he is a threat.</i>

Human greed is the most powerful emotion in existence. The want for the things others possess is very strong. Right now, the U.S. wants to control the world and all its' oil.

But why? We can generate power from wind, and water; possibly other resources which are being researched. I guess the government isn't interested in these alternate forms of energy; just having control over another part of the world.

Ryan Hillier: "Right now, the U.S. wants to control the world and all its' oil."

Huh?! Where do you get that impression? Because Cheney worked for Haliburton and Bush was invested in oil? That's quite a stretch to go from there to say that we want to control the world! If we wanted to control the world wouldn't we have taken over Iraq? Are they not having free elections next month? Didn't Bush say that if they elected a non-democratic theocracy he wouldn't stop even that? (To leniant if you ask me.) I don't see all the free oil, we conqured Iraq didn't we? Shouldn't gas prices have plummeted with the huge influx of free or super cheap oil? It's been almost a year now. Am I missing something?

I'm not attacking you personally, just asking you to think for a moment, is the USA really a big power hungry bully out to take over the planet or are we looking out for the best interest of the world? Sure, I'll be the first to admit, we've made some serious mistakes along the way, but overall, can't you see that we're a force for good, not evil? We do the jobs no one else can or is willing to do and make the entire world wealthier, more free and a safer place.

Thank God there are still people who recognize that and will vote for leaders who have those principles.

Marcus:
<i>... asking you to think for a moment, is the USA really a big power hungry bully out to take over the planet or are we looking out for the best interest of the world?</i>

No, I'm pretty sure it's just a big power hungry bully.

"<i>Best interest of the world</i>?" They've killed hundreds of Arabs and their own soldiers to "spread freedom" into the Middle East. The people who live there <b>don't want your democracy</b>. They want to live as they've lived for the last thousand years; you can't force people to accept beliefs and customs at the drop of a hat.

Ryan: "The people who live there don't want your democracy."

Afghanistan seemed to want it when they had their free elections. We'll see about Iraq in their free elections. The point is that we're not forcing any type of government on them, we're relieving them of tyrannical dictators and terrorists and letting them to decide for themselves how they'll be governed while a the same time, ensuring our own safety and liberty.

I just don't see how you can pretend to speak for people who have been opressed by dictators and say they don't want freedom or democracy. They have had no other choice up until now!

Just the fact that you can express your opinions here shows you have freedoms that they didn't have. Do you really think that people want to live under opression?

Freedom will take time to take hold, change always doe, it takes time and brings new challenges, but there's not doubt in my mind that the people of Iraq and Afghanistan want their freedom just as much as you and I do.

The nice thing is, all leading powers have a rise and fall. When you live at the time, you can see the rise of a power. Seeing the decline is much more difficult. In a way, it'll be like wakeing up one day and finding out you're not the top dog anymore, you couldn't do what you used to, and your friends have move on or passed away.

This isn't something bad, it's just the way of things.

Also to be noted is that America's time as superpower has been relatively short if you look at other superpowers (think B.C. Egyptians, Inca's, Chinese, etc). The world as we know it does interact a lot more and a lot faster than it used to though, so it might be that superpowers ware out faster. And who knows, we might even reach a state of equilibrium at some point!

PS. Rome didn't fall because of the barbarians, it fell because it became to self-induldged, which is exactly the reason to not support Bush. Also, getting rid of Saddam, a great enemy of terrorists (as a dictator he wanted all the power to himself of course), wasn't such a good move if your enemies are terrorists.

I note that over 100,000 civillian Iraqis so far, that is little old ladies and young girls, have been murdered so far in the pursuit of Bush Oil. Mostly by American air attacks.

On a pro rata basis, that is equivalent to someone coming in uninvited and murdering over 1,150,000 Americans to enable a regime shift just America is attempting to do so from one America initially built up to one Corporate America now wants.

Murdering little old ladies and young girls from helicopters and large bombers is a speciality the Americans seem to have developed over the last 50 or 60 years to win their corporate and economic wars.

Well, them, few environmentalists and a load of South American trade union activists.

But it is the rape of this planet by the corporation and their short-term monetary policies that is going to leave the deepest potentially terminal scar.

What I cannot understand is how shocked these moral retards can be when anyone holds up a mirror to their ignorance and selfcentred " patriotism ". I am amazed at how sucessful the indoctrination process they have been put through from childhood has been. How successful the lure of Yankee Dollar holds them and the strength of the stupor of their mall empty consumerism.

It is as though they dont even understand that they themselves are not in on the joke. That the corporations and leaders give just as much of a damn about the American people as they do anyone else's population. That the Yankee Dollar is not even theirs.

And look at the list of nations they have stomped on. Do they really think that those chickens will never come back to roost?

Hey you guys, come and visit the rest of the world.

It is just like Las Vegas but in 1:1 scale and when you look around the back, it is 3 dimensional. Or like Disney Land but without the hallucenogenic effects.

Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle: Really, your ignorance is apalling, which I'm assuming is why you posted anonymously. Where's the evidence we went into Iraq for oil? Anything you could present as such is speculative and consequential. If what we're doing is murder what do you call what Saadam did to his own people? What the terrorists have done and are doing all around the world? Are we supposed to wait for diplomacy to stop that?

AkaXakA: Where's the evidence? I still don't see it.

Yankee Doodle:

Have you ever been to America? Do you understand what it's like to be an American?

I get up, I kiss my wife and my two children goodbye and drive to my job in my-gas effecient, small car. I'm a web programmer, I'm not rich - about middle of the road. I'm not fat, I don't eat at Macdonalds. I care about the environment and I do my best to make sure that it is preserved, through recycling and driving fuel efficient cars. I give pecentage money to charitble organizations. I'm a Christian and I truly believe that we are responsible for our actions to a just God. I try to live my life accordingly. Most people I know live more or less the same.

I'm not saying this to pat myself on the back or anything but it seems that some people who don't know the country think of us as, oil-eating, -hating, arrogant, stupid, un-clutured, war-loving, cowboys. I don't see that in America. America is just a group of human beings like everyone else. We have our stregths and we have our weeknesses. But we're not evil.

I'd be interested in knowing where you're from Yankee Doodle. Are you from America? Are you from Canada, Europe? Have you ever driven an oil-powered car? Have you ever spent money to purchase goods? Unless your a John The Baptist style hermit you're contributing to the problem. It's easy to point the finger at the largest target but the rage you have towards my country seems unwarrented.

To the people who America, how do you live your life? Can you share that with us? You'd be surpised to find how similar we all are.

Of course, not every American is a fat, SUV-driving, ignorant fool.

But Americans are, on average, quite fat. Apparently second only to South Sea Islanders:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/islandtrend/whyamaresofa.html

Americans, on average, do produce and buy bigger cars and do drive a whole lot more than most of the world. And the government continues to encourage car use through its subsidy of roads (~$300 billion per year), and by not adequately taxing for the air pollution caused by cars.
http://www.mindfully.org/Energy/2003/Americans%20Drive%20Further-May03.htm

And ignorance? I suspect that Americans would do pretty bad on a geography or world-events quiz. :) And a recent study found that, to this day, a majority of Bush supporters still believe the early lies of the administration:
http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Pres_Election_04/html/new_10_21_04.html

So there is some truth to the stereotype.

> More recently in my life, I’ve become aware that while America lumbers on,
> still the center of it’s own universe, the rest of the world isn’t paying
> attention anymore. America is becoming irrelevant.

I disagree. Given how much discussion there is about the country - not to mention the envy and hand-wringing about its actions - I think America is more relevant than ever.

And this really, really seems to piss some people off.

Ian: Americans are eat well, drive nice big cars and have a nice, well funded highway system. Thank you.

Ignorant? Many Americans are. At least 49% of the country, that's apparent by the amount of support John Kerry is getting, but hey, half the country ignorant... it could be worse.

Did Iraq have WMD's when we went in? Probably not. Did every leader of the free world think they did, yes. That includes John Kerry, George Bush, Tony Blair and dozens of others. Did they ever have them and/or have the intention to have them again? Yes. Saddam had and used WMD's, on his own people no less.

All that you're saying makes sense. I hate to see the way we've been going as a country, but I guess those things happen. Maybe we need another depression to balance things out...

Actually, economically speaking, things are going downhill in this country. Already this is becoming apparent with the job situation (which is actually worse, as the unemployment figures do not factor in people who are not actively looking for jobs (they've given up)) over here. For info on this econ. talk, check this out: http://www.dailyreckoning.com/.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Walmart owns a chain of stores in at least Thailand under the name of Lotus. That's all I want to comment on but I hope you know that you're wrong :-). America is do for a downfall in the future but I give us another century.

Jon: All I can say is please don't go into politics. You're have the same type of pessimism that is so typical to the Democratic party of today. It's the last thing the country needs.

Damnit... I miss read you about Walmart. I thought you were saying they didn't know... I need to start getting more sleep ;-). and that due in the third sentence is due not do... damn I suck

Swell graphic, Steven. Haven't seen that visual before, but I'll be we see it again.

It's actually pretty well understood by the circumspect crowd that U.S. influence is peaking right now. India's and China's populations cannot be suppressed; new access to markets and communications technology will power things into a cultural numbers game that the U.S. cannot win. Funny, that. What does "win" mean? Whatever it does, the moment to watch for is when non-U.S. populations stop taking their cues from us, just don't care any more. We (I'm a New Yorker) probably won't notice till much later. As now, we'll keep thinking it's all about us.

All of this makes me wonder if the ugly leadership personna we've marginally approved around here lately isn't a collective anxiety acting out.

You must understand, Steven, that the U.S. is a huge and wildly unmanageable polygot. I've lived all over the states. We're not so united, honestly we're not.

I hold the common, Northeastern, European-derived worldview of individual sovereignty tempered by the wisdom of close quarters: the common good requires common priorities and common action, lived every day. Societal success isn't in the water or the Bible, and more importantly isn't in Darwinism either. Funny how present leadership cares little about the water, and simultaneously touts Yahweh, Jesus, natural selection (market worship) and a Cliffs-Notes Adam Smith. Put another way, funny how dogma is the most fluid of organizing principles.

In the interior of the U.S. is a wide expanse of wonderful folks. Generous, honest, do anything for ya. And blitheringly brain-dead parochial. They get to vote same as me but, as far as they're concerned, problems in an adjacent state aren't theirs. Big cities and the coasts? Good luck to 'em. Europeans, Japanese and Mexicanos are acceptable in a distant and abstracted way, but suspicious because they haven't learned the language yet and may not be trying hard enough. And they're metric. We'll stay here. They can do what they want.

The U.S. has been too big to manage for a long time, but for a long time it didn't matter. Now it does. Expect denial, the same denial that's been letting us pretend we're united. Times ten.

There is a core of communitarian unity, fairness and service that spans this nation, and it's our military. I can't tell you, Steven, how marvelous a thing it is. It's a surviving model, I think, of the seed of American advantage -- and here I mean all of the Americas. We welcomed and drew the strivers, gave them a framework for achievement and reward, and steamed forward on their power. The U.S. military is like that: a functioning, large-scale meritocracy. What's right about the U.S. still burns in that temple. And they come from all over. We are not thoroughly bankrupt.

What's at stake going forward are not the fortunes of the U.S. but the legacy of Western Civilization. Once, Araby and the Ottomans preserved and advanced the antiquities -- math, science, art -- while Europe was dark. Now we engage them again ... plus a surging Asia, plus a burgeoning South America, plus desperate populations in Africa (and to a lesser extent Russia) who will not stay home as they once reliably did. Genie's loose.

Canada, the U.S., Europe and Latin America -- the speakers of Romance, Germanic and eastern Slavic languages who are Western Civilization need to begin acting as one, to ensure that the best of what we've learned melds gently into the Asian future.

The moment is now. This plays out over the lives of us and our children. The U.S., petulant and spooked and never that mature in the first place, sadly isn't prepared to lead.

You're saying you don't want us speaking for Canada, or Steven. I wouldn't either.

LQ

I think it would be wrong to assume the United States will fall like Rome and Greece. This assumes that a) History repeats itself, and b) The US is an entity that has ever existed before in history. One of those two is true. I see the US loosing its relevence as the nation-state loses its relevence. As people become more free around the globe, and can grow their own networks (get their own info through the net, make their own power via wind and solar) and move off the grid that controls them (be it a government that controls them, or a monetary system locking them in) they will become less aggressive, as it won't be in their self-interests to attack other people/states to gain resources.

The freedom to pull people off the grid that has slowly been eroding since fiefdom is coming from two directions. One top down: from places like the US where freeing technologies are created: The Internet, WiFi (and other wireless techs), science that allows things like wind turbines to work, solar panels, nanotechnology among politically free, creative people. And from the bottom up, from the poorest of the poor, who own little (unwittingly/wittingly free from material consumerism) and live in a small geographic space, strong family and extended families who rarely stray far from home, since that tends to be impossible do to lack of freedoms, money, and governments who don't benefit from an educated, free populace.

In the middle, they'll eventually meet, in communities where people are equally self-reliant and community reliant. Encouraging an equal playing field, and a base of education and local small buinesses. Use what we can create, stay within our resources. As long as nations don't get in the way, things will be good. We don't need any stinking superpowers. How this starts is the last superpower standing needs to change the rules and set the example while on top: that starts by stopping warmaking. Have a Defense Department who's job is defense, not offense. Conflicts won't end any time soon, but should hopefully scale back greatly in the next 100 years.

Or we can mark the next hundred years as the century the US trampled the world. Eh, either way works, what do I care, right?

~bc: a) it does, b) everybody thinks everything they do is unique.

All superpowers which see themselves at the center of the world think they're one of a kind and everlasting.

Just like everybody thought WW1 was the 'War to end all Wars' it was called 'The Great War'. Everybody said afterwards: Never must we have this again.

So we had WW2.

And sure, the next 100 years might be the US's too. But we're talking (I am anyway) long term here. Think a couple of centuries.

Lou: The US not being metric is one of the reasons it'd help if the US didn't think it was the center of the world.

And when did the US motto become 'Home of the Scared and land of the stagnant' ? Because 3/4 kilderkin to the hogshead isn't the way forward.

AkaXakA: "And when did the US motto become 'Home of the Scared and land of the stagnant'?"

Dude, I dunno what's going on, but it's big. Check this nascent fascist koolaid episode:

http://www.slate.com/id/2108852/

Nixon courted them, Reagan closed the deal, and Bush(2) moved them to the front of the column. Republican national-office seekers need evangelical Christian support -- literally aren't electable without it -- and have thus created a monster. Reason is out, authoritarian voodoo is in. Who says the Bush administration doesn't support alternative fuels. The U.S. is now powered by magic.

Fascist nationalism has been defeated before, and will be here. But not enough people (notably moderate Republicans and the over-60 generations) yet recognize it. It's actually still on the rise. Wish us luck on Tuesday, and pray that during the Kerry administration the full breadth of the Bush-Rove swindle is brought to light.

LQ

Damn that is scary stuff Lou. Do they make people hold up their arms in a diagonal position yet?

Don't these people realise that they're being manipulated and eased into a state of xenophobism and untollerance? Don't they realise they're being nudged in a direction which is far off from anything that America should/did stand for?

Praying is ok, voting is better.

[quote]Opponents and adversaries of the United States have been saying this since World War II. I guess if it makes you feel better about yourselves, keep telling yourself this little story. Every indicator of economic growth directly contradicts your view.[/quote]

well said. america for all it's failings is the greatest democracy on the planet and i feel that as a scots man, that america deserves it's position of 'policing' the world community.

after what has happened to the country and it's people in recent times, i'm of the mind that why question americas motives? some folk say the war in iraqi is uncalled for and illegal, but why?

if left alone, s hussien would have revised and continued his nuclear program and developed nuclear weapons, there is do doubt there - if there is then your a very niave person to think that s hussien had complied with the united nations.

we are living in very dangerous times people, and as proved by numerous bombings no one is safe anymore. we are facing an increasing threat of international terrorism from fanatics who care nothing of life it's self, believing instead they'll be rewarded for their evil acts.

so get a grip of how things are okay? the world and more so of america, changed after 9/11 and it's a shame that so, so many people forget so easily of the magnitude of the crime committed against a non aggressive country and i might add, an ally of britain.

america and its allies really need to kick some serious butt and it's well over due.

All I have to say is that America is in a mode of inner destruction. It has become so self-involved that it has lost the ability to see outside. Greed has more to do with America's state than we'd like to admit here. America is a country bred out of rebllion. Rebellion always runs hand in hand with greed and arrogance. That attitude that says, "I can do everything better than you" And now that america has done everything better than everybody else, the slippery slope to nothing has begun. (Rome always comes to mind)

You're plethora of empirical and logical warrants for "the demise of the U.S." are very well constructed. Bravo.

Sure, I can see all the angles and China will rise along with the EU, but the United States has an opportunity to go "down" gracefully.

This take couldn't be more misguided.

The reason the rest of the world is looking outside of America to fulfill its ambitions are <i>exactly because</i> America is ascendant. Other nations want to develop alternate systems because to accept the American system is perceived to be submitting to its economic and cultural hegemony. Jacques Chirac, for example, said as much -- that it was necessary to be a counterweight to American power, if for no other reason, to act against it.

America does not control everything and it never has, despite the mystique it has held for many decades. But no one can argue: its culture is powerful and, for lack of a better word, infectious. (I would say benevolently.) World powers bristle at the power of America's cultural influence because it is a direct threat to their own, for better or worse.

But don't be misguided: their reaction to break from America isn't evidence of the latter's <i>descent</i>. It's more an attempt to assert independence from its ascendant power.

The world is becoming a global village, transportation enables you to be in any country in at least 24 hours. Think of it like this, yelling and beating your chest at a party envokes two responses. People will think their an asshole or fear them. Neither response is positive and in time people will distance themselves.

Plus, remember all world powers fail at some point, Greece, Rome, Britain and next is the US. The key to remain elevant, not isolate themselves. WWII opened the US eyes a bit... the problem is that people within the US don't travel much (see other points of view) and the culture within the US makes you either ''with the US'' or against it... no grey area.

Look, there is no perfect country in this world. But you have to rolling with the changes within your own society, the world and be apart of the community. The US does not seem to be able to that.. until it does, it will remain to become less elevant.

As for the upcoming elections, the people will vote for who they deserve...

PS. I live the US

It's interesting that you mention boarder tightening and isolationistic tendencies. It's clear that you have not paid any attention to what Bush or Kerry have been saying about globalism. Both support the U.N. and that in itself in globalistic. The war in Iraq is illegal according to our Consitution which states very clearly that only Congress has the power to declare war. Bush running off on imperialistic 'nation-building' endeavors violates his oath of office and makes him a candidate for tyranny. But, it does not make us isolationists; instead it makes us interferers.

The best way to solve many of the problems with America and its relationships with other nations is, quite simply, isolation. What I mean specifically is that we need to strengthen our boarders against illegal immigration. This is the primary source of terrorism and the effort spent on foreign wars could have easily been accomplished with far less cost by ensuring that those that visit our country do so legally.

But it goes further. Illegal immigration destroys our national soverignty, as does our involvement in the U.N., the WTO, NAFTA, FTAA, etc. We are an independant nation and have no need for any international oversight. Conceding such is a major step towards national decline. "But, the U.S. is out of control", you say. "If someone doesn't watch them, who will protect us?" Well, the other side of the coin I propose is that America should not be interfering in the domestic issues of other soverign nations. We'll stay out of your hair, as long as you stay out of ours. Isn't that what all other nations are telling America anyhow?

You may be concerned that American businesses will still endeavor to Americanize the world. I understand. However, you have every right to restrict any foreign business from operation in your own countries, including America's. But, the fact of the matter is that you welcome American businesses in your borders because they have the capital to fund expansion and create jobs, thereby strengthening your own economies. The whole purpose behind NAFTA and FTAA is for America to export money and technology, while the other countries import unemployment and poverty. Hardly and ideal exchange.

Now, I realize that what I propose may sound like "Pie in the sky by and by." Who, really, is going to trust America to mind it's own business? Clearly, this will not happen any time soon, but I am working toward that goal, one step at a time. I do not want terrorism in my country any more than I want my military policing other nations. It's simply not our responsibility.

Trying to figure out if I'm liberal or conservative? I'm neither, by current definitions. I'm a Constitutionalist.

http://constitutionparty.com/
http://downsizedc.org/

Thanks for reading!

Peace,
Dewey

You, Steven, have the sensitivity of a Canadian. Your nation’s folk songs are rich and beautiful.

It is a pretty image that you have painted, Steven; a tragic one. A tragic revelation for tragic times--

America, crushing under the girth of its own convictions; America, the great idealist of realism. Perishing with a self afflicted would to her now faint heart. History, perhaps, will pity us and the spirit and America's failed potential will rebirth in another people.

---Sleep, Coin Harvey. You who sounded the bugle call. Your pyramid has fallen. We Americans are now lost. The path is black. The light to lead is one alone and solemn beam. The light, it is dim and dimming.---

There is an air of ignorance among all your posts. It is an innocent ignorance that I almost applaud. It is an ignorance that is free from religious extremism that is running fervently through the coarse veins of America. It is the beast of the Anglo-Protestant. The beast is threatened by peace, art, and science, and the questions that rational thought encompasses. It is a similar beast that has brought upon the holocaust. It is the same beast whose face has hidden under the cloaks and masks of the Ku Klux Klan. It is now showing its face in Opus Dei (Latin for “God’s Work”).

Opus Dei was founded in the 1920s by a Spanish priest, Josemaria Escriva, who later aligned himself with Fascist dictator Francisco Franco. Opus Dei is a cult that our State Senator belongs to. This Kansas State Senator is Sam Brownback.

“Brownback now lives with Santorum in Washington in an Opus Dei house, where they participate in this murky cult with other conservative extremist insiders such as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, disgraced Iran-Contra National Security Adviser John Poindexter, and right-wing columnists Lawrence Kudlow and Robert Novak. Convicted FBI spy Robert Hanssen is also an Opus Dei member.”

John McCloskey is a “priest” of the Opus Dei. Google him if you’d like.

These are my reasons no American should vote for George W. Bush. He caters the Evanglical Protestant vote. Their agenda will cause the destruction of our Republic. Their agenda is not American. It is not an agenda of freedom. It defies the basis of our Constitution; one of the greatest political doctrines ever written.

--S.

Liberal or Conservative?

There has been a dramatic political shift in America. I.E...

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war."

Who said this? A Republican or a Democrat?

--S.

Expanding upon the above:

"The Federal Reserve Board's most recent Survey of Consumer Finances supplement on high-income families shows that in 1998, the richest 1 percent of households owned 38 percent of the nation's wealth. The top 5 percent owned almost 60 percent of the wealth."

Hm. That above qoute seems to've already taken place. By the way, it was Abraham Lincoln.

You know I don't mind that people critize the U.S. government, its people, their way of life or anything else. I just wish some of these people (citizens of another country) would take as much interest with issues within their own countries and try to resolve them with as much fervor as they do ours.

Then maybe we could cut down on our spending that supports and protects so many other nations. This way we (the Unites States) could actually turn that money around and invest it into our own healthcare/retirement/education systems instead of financing someone elses.

I was going to post more, but then decided not to. Why? Because this post has been covered just about every where else that U.S. bashing occurs.

(Keep in mind I am biased as I was born and raised in the U.S. and am a former U.S. Marine)

Hah. Neighbors to the north my foot. Canada is just a lumber shortage away from becoming another state. Exporting Celine Dion alone should be considered a terrorist act, punishable by regime change. We will take you over and build a beer pipeline across North America...

Just joking. If Bush wins the election I am seriously considering a move to Canada. I can't take this crap anymore.

I guess it is a clear equation ...

I am not concerned about the decrease of American power, but the increase of American brutality.

As real influence declines, violent coercion increases.

How can the American people fall for it, be suckered in time and time again, bleating like little lambs " freedumb ... freedumb ".

How can they allow themselves be so used by the capitalists, the power mongers, the money men?

How can they believe so blindly in the propaganda ... all in the hope that they might share in a tiny bit of the booty.

I dont believe that it is the American peoples that are at fault but that they are so blindly being led by such devious self-centred ugliness of their puppet masters. And believe me, they will taste that same brutality in time.

Free-dumb free-dumb free-dumb ... what on earth does that mean!?!

Hitler, Stalin and Goebels writhe in envy at the power and manipulation of these Yankee power mongers ...

I always thought that the superpowers would not wait until the last barrel of oil to start fighting over it and I and thinking now that this war America has started, has been goading for 50 years through Israel, is not just a war on the Middle Eastern oil fields [ it has nothing to do with Islam ] , on Opec - but that they have actually struck the first low on a war against Europe as well.

I am just afraid that the masses of America from bigoted proletariat to super elites are so easy whipped up, drugged up, stupified and can become rabid enough to want to join in on such a war; a war to protect their addictive indulgences. Cheap oil, unlimited energy to waste.

Now, it Europe is to contnue uniting and expanding to include the rest of Eastern Europe and into Russian State, as it is, it'd be one hell of a war that America could not win ... except by nuking flat.

And I would not put it past them.

Frankly, it is about Europe got together and did a deal with China and the Middle East and kicked America's ass.

On its energy consumption and pollution alone, it is one big fat leech the planet cannot afford. But would the poisoned parasite of the multinations corporations die with it or just pass on to somewhere else in another form? Their global ecomony is not an economy at all, it is just a robbery and far from true capitalism.

What gives them the right? Oh, I forgot ... because they are free to do so and the rest to the world is not.

And the like of GI Joe marines above; nothing more than mercenary forces in the service of their dollar machines drugged up with the fundamentalist chants ...

" Free-dumb free-dumb free-dumb. "

I am so sick of it ... all nationalism sucks. And America except perhaps for Israel and South Africa, is by far the most racially divided nation on earth.

Look at the farce of this entire war episode ... who was it who built up both Osama and Saddam? Just as they did Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia? The Pol Pots, the Papa Docs, the Sharons and Suhartos, School of the Americas, the Contras and Noriegas ... the list is endless.

Do the American people forget so soon?

Is it too much to add up all at once?

Can you not understand why the rest of the world thinks that you are the global terrorist?

It's called fear.

America's descent will be its hubris.

When you have built the greatest, the biggest, the everlasting superpower you can look in the mirror and say: "In a thousand years it will all be forgotten."

The US may be remembered for more than a thousand years, but the point still stands, after time everything will fall. Nothing is everlasting, it's just how it is.

The Iraq war was a failure, you made the rest of the world sympathise with a dictator.

Sadly,

The greatest failure.

Proof that the right to democracy must be earned with intelligence, humanity and a conscience - not handed out like a grenade to whatever idiot comes along next.

God save us ... I guess that means World War III then?

Anyone who has studied history knows that all big and small empires have a cycle. They rise and then they fall. The US has been an interesting empire because up to now it has always sought to be a merchant superpower, often staying out of conflicts much to the chagrin of other countries (see WW1 & WW2) until absolutly necessary or provoked.

Americans have always looked inwards but 9/11 as everyone knows has changed that. How much longer will this continue, probably 4 more years.

To call America on the decline is interesting, I mean the very thing we call the Internet was developed by the irrelevant US Army and then championed by Universities and now we use it. People accrosss the world still wait with baited breath for the latest hollywood blockbuster to release.

America will regain its luster, you'll just have to wait.

And I wouldn't be so quick to wait for the coming Chinese Empire, just ask Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong what happens when the Chinese Empire sets your eye on you...

Interesting to claim that the web evolved solely from Arpanet. Maybe you should study a bit of <a href='http://www.w3.org/History.html'>web history</a>. ;-P

The major thing to worry about is that this elephant that Canadians sleep next to is currently on a stampede through an Islamic porceleyn cabinet, believing in all earnest that they're chosen by God to bring peace and prosperity to the 'Barbarians'.

Maybe it's not only Islamic fundamentalism that the world should worry about, but Christian fanaticism as well.

This is all a prime example of some American believing the propaganda, the dream they are fed that is a nightmare for the res tof the world.

> The US has been an interesting empire because up to now it has always
> sought to be a merchant superpower, often staying out of conflicts much
> to the chagrin of other countries (see WW1 & WW2) until absolutly necessary
> or provoked.

Bearing in mind the early American were essentially British, what do you call the use of gun ships and consistent threats of violence upon Japan to open up to their power, for an example, in the 1870s? The uninivited economic demands, blockades and warfare that started decades before and continued up until the provocation of Pearl Harbour caused by the stranglehold hold being applied by the New Americans in order to open up a largely closed government and economy to their merchants and military protection racket.

> Americans have always looked inwards

Most of them cant even find their way to the shoreline nevermind buy a passport but that is more to do with Xenophobia. At least half find it hard to get off their couch and travel further than the cooler due to obesity.

o Approximately one-fifth of America’s food goes to waste, and that’s not counting the vast amount that ends up as flab. This adds about $31bn to the GDP, a figure which could feed those who die of starvation each year twice over.

Up until the 20th, you guys were still trying to look inwards to find the Mid-West of America ... in between ethnic cleansing the actually native inhabitants of that land. Is it a wonder that your nation produced a monster like Saddam?

You guys are the modern industrialised specialists of ethic cleansing; the slaughter of little old ladies and young children through out the Far East [ Japan, Vietnam, Korea ], Afganistan and now Middle East.

Perhaps the common American people are ... travel of any sort has been very limited for peasant stock until the 1960s but the Anglo-American coporations, support every step by your lapdog bought governments have hardly been resting. Econominc and cultural dominance is also war; Central and South America, Far East, Africa. And why bother when you can see it on Discovery Channel anyway?

Let's face it, you cant get to the airport if you try ...

o American motorists sitting in traffic jams spend over $5bn a year on petrol.
> To call America on the decline is interesting, I mean the very thing we call the
> Internet was developed by the irrelevant US Army and then championed by
> Universities and now we use it.

Tim Berners-Lee was British and CERN is in Switzerland. European funded with a small credit to Steve [ Apple ] Jobs may be.

Pressumably, we can be sure that this education of yours is a product of a US University?

What we have to thank America most is for the raping on the internet community by the first and most persistent spammers spamming filth. Jewish-America lawyers for the record. Their successor Jewish-American [ actually that should read " so-called " ] remain amongst the top by far as anythiing up to 80% of all emails glabally are unwanted sexual abuse.

Thank you America, Land of the Free [ Pornography ] [ Even if you dont want it ].

> People accrosss the world still wait with baited breath for the latest
> hollywood blockbuster to release.

Yup, as said, what you do best and most, and spend most on is Pornography. Hard and soft pornography. New Hollywood basically fits in somewhere between pornography and junk food, bubble gum for the mind.

What is it they say, America spends more money on pornography that all the arts and culture put together; " Roll over the Enlightenment and Renaissance guys, let's just stay home and masturbate over projections of Demi Moore / young girls spreading them ".

Name a recent made Hollywood movie without several young naked breasts in it.

o interestingly, web pornography since it some $2bn to America’s GDP.

whereas;

o in the USA, erectile dysfunction or impotence, are on the increase, a $1.5bn industry.

So if someone can get it up, its not going to be an American.

> America will regain its luster, you'll just have to wait.

Is that before or after it has ejaculated its end of life armaments over some baby nation state and emergent independent economy; or are we going to have to wait until some disease kills off the white man and the coloured nations rise again.

Actually, perhaps you are right; may be the Hispanics will go for a replay of the Alamo and all the Americans will be too fat to run away.
> And I wouldn't be so quick to wait for the coming Chinese Empire,
> just ask Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong what happens when the Chinese
> Empire sets your eye on you...

Well, perhaps Tibet would not have gotten whacked so badly if the CIA had not been pouring in Mllions of Dollars and arming up the Dalai Lama's brother and his terrorist friends?

Pretty much the same story goes for any extremist right wing terrorist insurgents worldwide. The Yankees were always happy to pour in Dollars and create mischief if it suited their connivances.

Look at the way it built up Stalin's industries - even those that served the military - Post-WWII and during the Cold War. Look at the ties between the US, Nazis and Neo-Nazis today in East Europe. Look at what they are doing to the social workers, worker activists and environmentalist in South America and SE Asia.

Funnily enough, I dont think Americans are bad people, they are not. Most are fine people ... but they are so dumb to what their leaders/exploiters, those that capitalise on their goodwill and hard work, are really up to.

Do they know how corrupted their education is?

If Americans are inward looking it is because they have not realised that -

they have been blindfolded to their exploiter's global attrocities.

There use to be great selfless potential for America. But the good man lost.

"Coin" Harvey once proposed the building of a pyramid that would resemble the great pyramid in Egypt. In it we were to bury the rise and fall of America. Including our inventions, art, everything that America had accomplished and even our mistakes.

This is the eye above the pyramid on the U.S. dollar. It was not meant to watch you, but be an EXAMPLE of hope, peace, and liberty.

The base of this pyramid exists in Arkansas. I forget the town.

Henry Miller mentioned him in his book "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare".

He had one thing to say of America. That America will no longer produce men of great stature; artists, philosophers, saints, etc. The system has devoured them. The American people have or will be rendered docile. He is one of the last great minds America has had, yet, we disowned him.

I wonder how many voted for Bush know of their agenda: The Project for the New American Century. It frightens me.

As an American, it frightens me.

There will be another attack soon. And as shamefully I may admit, we may deserve it.

The Brits made an accurate assesment of the US military. During WWII thay already said: "If the Germans fire, the Brits and the Americans take cover. When the Brits fire the Germans take cover. When the Americans fire everybody takes cover. The so-called military power is purely based on material, take itaway and they all down in their own arrogance.

When is the US going to learn from history? When you first create a problem and then fix it, it brings you back to zero and does not make you a winner! The US seems to be short term focused and blind to history:
Chile 1972.
Salvador Allende was the first democratically-elected socialist ruler in world history. In short President Nixon didn’t like it. Augusto Pinochet held right wing views and in the 1950s played an important role in the suppression of the Chilean Communist Party. Therefore Pinochet was the chosen one, together with the CIA starts plotting to remove Allende from power. On 11th September 1973, Pinochet led a military coup against Allende's government. Allende died in the fighting in the presidential palace in Santiago. Over the next few years Pinochet, with the help of 400 CIA advisers, privatized the social and welfare system and destroyed the Chilean trade union movement. Pinochet also received help from Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government. This included Britain supplying arms to the regime and blocking attempts by the United Nations to investigate human rights abuses in Chile. Declassified US archives prove that the United States government approved funds for actions to prevent Allende's election and, later, to destabilize his regime. The role of the US in the coup itself has not been established, but a document released by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 2000 titled "CIA Activities in Chile" revealed that the CIA actively supported the military Junta after the overthrow of Allende and that it made many of Pinochet's officers into paid contacts or agents of the CIA or US military, even though the agency knew that they were involved in systematic and widespread human rights abuses. The situation in Chile came to international attention in September 1976 when Orlando Letelier, a former Chilean ambassador to the United States and minister in Allende's cabinet, was murdered by a car bomb in Washington, D.C Gen. Carlos Prats, Pinochet's predecessor as army commander, who had resigned rather than support the moves against Allende, had died in similar circumstances in Buenos Aires two years earlier. Slowly the US to starts to distance themselves from Pinochet to finally condemn his rule.
Iraq 1979.
The US looses its biggest alliance in with the Middle East after the 1979 Islamic revolution and we all know about the occupation of the U.S. embassy in Tehran by militant students. The US was desperately looking for a new alliance in the region.
Who better than the new president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, he, in 1979 achieved his ambition of becoming head of state. For years he was the power behind the ailing figure of the president, Ahmed Hassan Bakr. Therefore Donald Rumsfeld, yes the one and the same, then special envoy of President Ronald Reagan, met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on December 20, 1983 and since that time Saddam received support the US, e.g to fight the Iranians at least until the end of the war in 1988. The United States supplied the Iraqis with intelligence, and committed the US Navy to safeguarding the flow of oil out of (and the flow of money and arms into) Iraq, but secretly sold arms to Iran in order to fund anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua, and gain influence with hostage-holding Muslim militias in Lebanon. Not to long ago he is removed from power on false pretences and against UN advise.
Afghanistan 1979.
In 1979 "the largest covert operation in the history of the CIA" was launched in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in support of the pro-Communist government of Babrak Kamal. The Islamic "jihad" was supported by the United States and Saudi Arabia with a significant part of the funding generated from the Golden Crescent drug trade. This operation was largly financed by “our government” trading drugs and we are not talking about pot. In March 1985, President Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive 166,...[which] authorize[d] stepped-up covert military aid to the mujahideen, and it made clear that the secret Afghan war had a new goal: to defeat Soviet troops in Afghanistan through covert action and encourage a Soviet withdrawal. The new covert U.S. assistance began with a dramatic increase in arms supplies -- a steady rise to 65,000 tons annually by 1987, ... as well as a "ceaseless stream" of CIA and Pentagon specialists who traveled to the secret headquarters of Pakistan's ISI on the main road near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. There the CIA specialists met with Pakistani intelligence officers to help plan and supply operations for the Afghan rebels lead by Usama Bin Laden. Pakistan's ISI was used as a "go-between". The CIA covert support to the "jihad" operated indirectly through the Pakistani ISICIA's Beardman confirmed, in this regard, that Osama bin Laden was not aware of the role he was playing on behalf of Washington. In the words of bin Laden (quoted by Beardman): "neither I, nor my brothers saw evidence of American help". Motivated by nationalism and religious fervour, the Islamic warriors were unaware that they were fighting the Soviet Army on behalf of Uncle Sam. We all know the rest of the story.
And so on and so on.
If you read old roman scriptures, at the end of the 1st century A.D., the economic situation of the Roman Empire experienced a marked downturn. Civil wars led to the ruin of Italy, and money needed to rebuild was lacking. The empire had not conducted wars of aggression since the time of Augustus, at the beginning of the century, maintaining instead a defensive policy. Coming to power in 98 A.D., the emperor Trajan proposed an ambitious solution - to resume a policy of military aggression, to conquer new territory for Rome, and thereby to resuscitate a moribund economy. And that is precisely the way the Bush administration has tried to raise the efficiency of the American economy, by seizing control of Middle Eastern oil. Rome's neighbor, Parthia, was chosen as the target of Trajan's campaign.
Parhia was a state located on the territory of contemporary Iran, extending from the Hindu peninsula to Roman Syria. It was considered the second superpower of the ancient world. In addition, Parthia was at that time considerably weakened by internal strife, nomad incursions, as well as the separatism of individual rulers. Judging by everything, the Romans hoped that defeating Parthia would not be too difficult.

Like the Romans the US currently has a dramatic rising "SAG" factor. The term stands for Stupidity Arrogance & Greed and will cause the collapse from within. Afterall, historically, what do all self announced "superpowers" have in common, they're gone. If you could buy an american for what he is worth and sell him for what he think he is worth you will never have to work again. The political mess the US is in right now is caused by the brilliance of marketing and stupidity of it’s people.

I personally think that there is either a Dr. Joseph Goebbels reincarnation or a very very good student off his somewhere in the Whitehouse, the propaganda levels have gone up dramatically over the last 4 years. The Germans didn't think there was anything wrong with it either in the 1930's. It is scaring the hell out of me.

Whatever happened about sepration of church and State? Now that the imbecile is re-elected. I am not shocked that he is an imbecile but it is very worrisome that he was re-elected. This indicates to me that the US has elected to be in a collective state off stupidity.

what? everyone and their mother wants to live in the USA - dumbasses

Thanks Ricardo for supporting everything I wrote, you are the perfect example of the “A” in the SAG factor (Stupid, Arrogance and Greed). You are very likely also not part off the 7% of Americans that have a passport. Therefore you can’t actually base your conclusions on experience vs. the propaganda you are given on a daily basis.
You are not to blame personally; the propaganda already starts in your school system, you teach kids how to pass an exam to make the school look good instead of actually teach how to use their brain and think for themselves. Americans in general mistake regurgitating data for intelligence; the capability of actual critical thinking is never learned.
As expected you run out of anything intelligent to say and revert to name calling as your only option, typical, but I won’t come down to your level.

With regards to SAG, right on Mr Smith.

I'm sorry but I've been reading this blog for some days now and I can't help myself any more. I'm with Jack Smith on this. I would rather have my eyeballs pierced repeatedly with hot pins for the rest of my life than live in the US. It's not because I'm jealous it's not because there aren't aspects of the US, that aren't great and wonderful, a lot of the people are lovely, I have some fantastic American rellies and I love their go getting attitude but there's no middle ground, no moderation in anything, every issue is right or wrong, black or white and no matter how hard you pretend, life's not like that.

I enjoy conversation that has more than one level, I want my children to be educated properly, I hate brass bands, I watch opera, I make jokes and have a sense of humour, I have a sense of mischief, I love to have people take the mickey out of me - being pc is not the same as respecting someone - and to take the mickey back, I like to watch films which are not so obvious I've guessed the entire plot by the end of the first 10 minutes. I appreciate the power of emotion but not when it's phony and I like to direct the power of my emotions with facts - I like living somewhere where people acknowledge their emotions but do not let them entirely govern their actions without thought or analysis. I want to live somewhere where people think, albeit briefly, before they act. I don't want to live in a nation which routinely tortures its prisoners of war (Vietnam too) and where, in many places, every day life has the texture and subtlety of a cartoon.

I couldn't handle the naivety - the idea that big businesses won't cut corners and lie to consumers because it's unethical. Too right it is matey but it ain't gonna stop it happening, it happens all the time they're run by humans and we're like that. Then why is it that if we can get solar power to work well here the UK to reduce our energy consumption and energy bills by up to 20% in some places why is it not everywhere in the southern US. I asked my friend in Texas "Oh if it worked the government would have tried it" he told me. Well heloooooo! WAKE UP!

I would like to live somewhere where the educational system teaches children to think (not necessity my country). Education is not some State Board meeting in a room going "ok there are five theories as to what caused this event, which shall we tell them is true". What you do is teach all five theories and teach the kids to look at the facts and think through which one might be the most plausible. You do not teach them that the second world war started in 1941, the date you joined, when you were one of the last two countries to join (had to wait until you'd economically crippled your only contender for big western empire afterwards) and a quarter of the globe (and that's just one of the countries at that time) was involved from 1939.

Finally right with Mr Smith on this one.... He's not the only person whose noticed the parallels between Bush courting the "Christian" (yeh about as Christian as Jack the Ripper) right and Hindenberg thinking he could control the National Socialists....

It's really not because we're jealous it's because to the rest of the world it looks like every man jack living in America is a raving nutbar, a whole nation of them with lots of money and lots of power versus another one, Mr Bin Laden, who has lots of money and lots of power. And we're all stuck in the middle! No wonder we're shit scared!

Also how does Osama Bin Laden causing 9/11 suddenly commute into "Let's get Saddam"? No logic and since Osama is still at large who's next?

To the rest of us America looks like a large friendly dog running round and round a coffee table enthusiastically wagging its tail and knocking glasses, cups and priceless artifacts to the floor in all directions. It's only a matter of time before everything on the table of value is destroyed, no wonder everyone looks pissed off.

And yes, I have actually been there.

Sorry about that, I really respect your answer and I apologize for the namecalling; I was 6 years old when I was watching Roger Maris attempt to break Babe Ruth's home run record in 1960 61? and later in life I wondered how I was hooked into that it was ok for Mickey Mantle but not Roger Maris to break the record, and the hell it put Roger Maris through, how does that happen? That the media can infuse into a 6 year old to be against someone for no good reason. No I am not the American you think I am, I would never be caught dead with a commercial on my clothes, I tell people here that the reason other countries get our precios foreign aid is because we are raping that country and don't you forget it, and the anti-abortionists and anti-smoking idiots, I ask them "Do you really think that rich people are not going to have abortions and smoke cigarettes anymore" Talk about insulting someone's intelligence which they are doing by saying yes to that question, so I punch them in the mouth, I flat out refused to go to VietNam(the draft lady thought I was funny and gave me a college deferment, didn't go to college for a year after that too, go figure) That war was just to take the energy, freshness, opportunity and spirit of young people finally agreeing not to treat each other by the color of skin(sad sad). It was just to kill us young Turks, besides the oil that's probably why Bush is still President, the dinosaurs are in the way of progress and don't want to keep up.

I think your piece is interesting, it sounds more like schadenfreude than disciplined analysis of trends in world affairs.

There is no consensus on whether the united states is, in fact, in decline in terms of its economic power, military supremacy, or political influence. I am no fan of the current administration or the invasion of Iraq, but I am also not sure if the world would necessarily benefit from an absolute decline in American power. Europe is not ready to provide for its own security, let alone the security of other unstable regions. China is, for sure, on the move towards becoming an economic giant, but the process is fraught with problems and their success is by no means assured. We look to china for investment opportunities and as a market for our goods, but the Chinese look to us for the same reasons. And as a Canadian, I’m surprised that you fail to recognize the importance of the United States with respect to Canada’s interests. A vast majority of Canadians live within 50 miles of the US-Canada border. The United States is Canada’s biggest trading partner and this relationship is only becoming more pronounced.

You suggest that people are turning their attention away from the united states as their pursue their own interests and livelihood. On the contrary, international coverage of the American presidential elections bordered on saturation. When Alan green span sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. When we experience recession, the rest of the world is soon to follow. This is not a value judgment; this is a statement of facts.

I do feel that the United States and the rest of the world would benefit significantly from modifications in a variety of American policies, but regardless of how much or how little bush continues to pursue the wrong objectives, the United States will continue to play a very important part in world affairs.

It took me a long time to read all the posts. Let me propose this, though it might not be new: Let America recall all its troops and aid money and let the rest of the world do what they want. That's what everybody seems to want, right? I guess it doesn't matter if 200,000 Kurds get killed; I guess Bosnia was OK; I guess we should let the Hutu's in Africa die. As long as they don't impact us what difference do they make? Sometimes I think idealistic prattle in a real world is easier than coming face-to-face with the problems; as long as you have somebody else's son dieing for your right to be free and say whatever you want. "Man" is not yet living in an "Ideal" world and expecting to impose idealistic concepts is great; start with the terrorist. I don't think America will ever fall, but I do agree that someday the rest of the world will catch up and America won't be the biggest power; it will only be one of the major powers. I tire of the world taking from us then spitting at us because they can't achieve what we have. So let's forget about the rest, bring the troops, money, and jobs back home and let the world eat sand and drink French wine. I'll stay here in the good ole U.S., kiss my wife and kids before I go to work every day, complain about the moral majority, surf the net, but don't f*&k with me because I'm still an idealist who's willing to fight for my freedom. I think there are many like me through the U.S. Thank God...oh yeah, just God, not Christian, nor Catholic, not Allah, nor Jehovah, just God. Good luck guys. The world is going to need it.

Hello Tired, look I promise we're not jealous and we don't hate you. It really is because we're scared.

Bosnia and Hutu's was a United Nations approved effort and it was about protecting people and keeping the peace, stopping people from attacking each other, not attacking them and imposing order. There's a difference. Saddam Hussain was a sh*t of the first water but the attack on Iraq was mounted on evidence that can only, at best, be described as dodgy. There were no weapons of mass destruction. Better to just be honest and say you're going after him on human rights grounds or because you can't kill the real perpetrator, his family being mates of your dad's and all.

Let's face it, all those Kurds got killed because Bush senior encouraged them to rebel with a promise of aid which he then didn't deliver - my government's probably just as guilty as yours on that score, too. But that's why there's such trouble in Iraq now, all the opposition leaders against Saddam Hussain were killed then. I don't think the rest of the world wants to spit at America, we know you have the best intentions, it's just frustrating watching what your nation does when we know what it could do and living with the consequences of its actions - especially in the UK where we've already done the Empire thing and don't understand why your government is text book copying the mistakes our forefathers made rather than learning from them.

So look, it's more of a case of this, what your country does affects us so we don't want you to do all the silly things our countries did when they had empires. I think some Victorian someone or other compared the world and the British Empire (which, at the time, the 2nd half of the 1800s, was a bit like the US now) to a man on a horse. So in the current case, the US being top dog, you're the man and the rest of the world is the horse. That means that wherever the man riding the horse decides to go the horse has to go too. So when the US government does things that have long term economic, environmental or terrorist repercussions for your country like as not they will for the rest of us as well.

So one of those is terrorism, well, luckily in the UK we're used to that, funded largely by a lot of actually very well meaning Irish-Americans in the States (it's just that they didn't mean well for all of us). Having lived in London throughout the bombing campaigns of the early 1990s I know what happens when a bomb goes off and what the victims look like afterwards. I suggest that if you want to start with terrorists, go for the jugular, the funding organisations. So for example, in the 1990s Noraid would have provided a good starting point. I appreciate it's probably a bit below the belt of me to mention this because it wasn't US Government funding and at least it meant, your government had the respect of both sides (since both were getting funded by people in the