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FarCenter

(19,429 posts)
31. The decline of America as the "sole superpower" is inevitable
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 11:38 AM
Jun 2013

The error in the Bush I adminstration is to think that the US could sustain sole superpower status after the collapse of the USSR. In a sense, the Anglo - American dominance of the West became unassailable for a short period of time.

However, China did not collapse, but took effective action at Tianamen Square and elsewhere to maintain internal order. Eventually, the traitorous Russian oligarchs were overcome by the FSB.

And in the Middle East, Islamic fundamentalism began a reaction to American hegemony in the region.

Now things are spiraling out of US control as passive agressive behaviour spreads via official and unofficial means throughout much of the globe.

There will be far too many obstinant smurfs for the US to herd effectively.

The historic progression will be from bipolar to unipolar to multipolar power politics leading up to then next series of global wars mid-century.

this will be another bad episode for the administration n/t CrazyJudy Jun 2013 #1
Yep - they drank the Bush/Cheney Kool-Aid on this one FreakinDJ Jun 2013 #3
Obama joined the neo-cons they never left nineteen50 Jun 2013 #8
Yep...that is exactly right. zeemike Jun 2013 #12
That's what I think too. loudsue Jun 2013 #21
Old Joe, a feckless Boot Lick warrant46 Jun 2013 #60
Okay. How do we define "Boot Lick"? leveymg Jun 2013 #80
His only hope would be to make a clear break from the Conservatives glinda Jun 2013 #47
LOL...as if... SHRED Jun 2013 #103
Won't happen. It's too late for that anyway. He missed the boat. He missed the target. silvershadow Jun 2013 #108
and they earned it. When hong kong has more respect for their people than us, we are fucked. roguevalley Jun 2013 #32
You are kidding yourself Shivering Jemmy Jun 2013 #35
Is Hong Kong collecting every bit of info on their citizens? dkf Jun 2013 #51
You are missing the whole point.... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #53
And by the same token, the Americans love to be the bad guy Savannahmann Jun 2013 #106
They'd be redundant considering we spy on ourselves.... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #107
Depends who you mean by "we" robbob Jun 2013 #105
I am inclined to agree Harmony Blue Jun 2013 #34
Love it. Daniel537 Jun 2013 #2
The US lost all credibility and moral standing after Iraq malaise Jun 2013 #4
And anointing ourselves nineteen50 Jun 2013 #10
I don't know how one would document or prove your assertion. I would say most of HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #15
Very few of us focused on Vietnam or the malaise Jun 2013 #18
You are far more optimistic than I (belying your handle :) - certainly HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #23
I thought Kerry threw in the towel inexplicably prematurely. Maybe Gore also. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #95
Paranoia will destroy ya - maybe I'm going to have HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #98
He has to stop pussyfooting with ReTHUGs and the 1%.--- Your Quote warrant46 Jun 2013 #113
I like your thinking. dixiegrrrrl Jun 2013 #26
I once read (or heard) Daniel Ellsberg say that America would not truly HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #30
chomsky said merca claims renewal and absolution every few years tiny elvis Jun 2013 #72
Gore Vidal called it "The United States of Amnesia." Vidal's voice HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #75
HardTimes99 Diclotican Jun 2013 #48
Thanks for those details. It's been a long time (> 30 years) since I HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #52
HardTimes99 Diclotican Jun 2013 #86
I enjoyed this brief history lesson. Thanks! :) n/t Jarla Jun 2013 #87
Jarla Diclotican Jun 2013 #89
thanks heaven05 Jun 2013 #115
Thanks. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #64
JDPriestly Diclotican Jun 2013 #79
Thank you, Diclotican. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #81
JDPriestly Diclotican Jun 2013 #88
Again, thanks. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #100
You've brought me to tears. Oh, how I fear for my children, for my country! Melinda Jun 2013 #92
Melinda Diclotican Jun 2013 #96
We left quite a bit of credibility in the Philippines before that arcane1 Jun 2013 #65
Yes, but we got points for fighting fascism in WW2 (including 'liberating' HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #67
LOL Indeed, we should stick to the mid-1900's to the present, for our own sake arcane1 Jun 2013 #68
Our jesting aside, there is a serious question of 'first cause' embedded HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #85
+1000 heaven05 Jun 2013 #114
Thank Blair and the UK especially. xtraxritical Jun 2013 #16
Why? malaise Jun 2013 #44
Right on! Theoted Jun 2013 #38
Recommend... KoKo Jun 2013 #5
Would the U.S. gov. stomping its feet East Coast Pirate Jun 2013 #6
Scurrilous racist dogs MannyGoldstein Jun 2013 #7
And besides that, Kos is well known as a progressive website, and has no standing as a credible Zorra Jun 2013 #33
The 3rd Way response: Hong Kong officials are nasty racists! Divernan Jun 2013 #40
I'm forced to admire their bold, adamant persistence, despite the fact that basically everyone here Zorra Jun 2013 #49
Hey. Jobs are hard to come by these days. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #97
I agree summer-hazz Jun 2013 #104
Highly un-American and disrespectful of the President, indeed jsr Jun 2013 #39
Ha-ha, I can already hear the debate over "Who lost Hong Kong?" starting :) - nt HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #56
lolololol Th1onein Jun 2013 #41
Oops... I hate when that happens. whttevrr Jun 2013 #9
"...the documents provided by the US Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements" Earth_First Jun 2013 #11
Actually, Hong Kong has NO extradition with USA dixiegrrrrl Jun 2013 #27
It's pretty much what I'd expect - what was 'incredible'? muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #13
In a weird way, I like it when the world sticks it to the US. Kind of makes up a little for the Nanjing to Seoul Jun 2013 #14
Got to speak up on behalf of my peeps. 'Cold War bullying' yes, but also HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #17
I'm an American and the Marshall Plan had numerous strings attached Nanjing to Seoul Jun 2013 #25
Can you imagine what America's reputation would be in the world, were we to HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #57
I have imagined... ReRe Jun 2013 #102
Elated ...and i hope Europe and Russia bites them too. L0oniX Jun 2013 #19
Off to Moscow, where freedom is really free! frazzled Jun 2013 #20
Love it. morningfog Jun 2013 #22
That's the politest way of saying "fuck off, State Department" I've seen in ages. (nt) Posteritatis Jun 2013 #24
agreed Liberal_in_LA Jun 2013 #90
Confucius say... Hubert Flottz Jun 2013 #28
The US revoked Snowden's passport. LMAO! Catherina Jun 2013 #29
as if a piece of paper could keep him frozen in one place... dixiegrrrrl Jun 2013 #36
I'm slackjawed at our arrogance, slackjawed that he rattled so much Catherina Jun 2013 #45
The decline of America as the "sole superpower" is inevitable FarCenter Jun 2013 #31
Bookmarking. See you in 2050! leeroysphitz Jun 2013 #50
The probability that I will exist in 2050 is extremely small. FarCenter Jun 2013 #58
And our economy will suffer increasingly harsher realities. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #66
Our service economy is only sustainable if our military can impose US suzerainty on the rest. FarCenter Jun 2013 #69
We need to rethink our economic strategy. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #71
It's actually a weakness of our multinational companies FarCenter Jun 2013 #73
Precisely. We are unwilling to be what we really are which is not nearly JDPriestly Jun 2013 #74
Yes, but we are like a cat stuck in a tree - can we climb down before we fall or starve to death FarCenter Jun 2013 #77
I don't John2 Jun 2013 #111
This High school dropout Harmony Blue Jun 2013 #37
Hong Kong dumped a headache. They were sheltering him so he didn't exactly flamingdem Jun 2013 #42
Nice when "democrats" begin rooting for one of the most authoritarian and ruthless..... George II Jun 2013 #43
You need to read up on Hong Kong vs China Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #46
Yep, a model of human right protections: George II Jun 2013 #63
Jesus Christ. sibelian Jun 2013 #91
Are you attempting to describe HK or the U.S.A.? Jamastiene Jun 2013 #93
That came directly out of the link about HK Human Rights supplied by Ichingcarpenter George II Jun 2013 #116
Really ! I guess China will stop hacking and spying now! treestar Jun 2013 #54
See my post above (#53) Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #55
If Snowdon Departed Hong Kong "through a lawful and normal channel" DallasNE Jun 2013 #59
+1 SunSeeker Jun 2013 #61
This is something a lot of people on DU are overlooking davidpdx Jun 2013 #112
Yeah Lugal Zaggesi Jun 2013 #117
Security Clearances DallasNE Jun 2013 #118
Snowden had Top Secret clearance Lugal Zaggesi Jun 2013 #120
I had read something that said that the background checks had been contracted out davidpdx Jun 2013 #119
K & R !!! WillyT Jun 2013 #62
So much for "He's stupid for going to HK." n/t DirkGently Jun 2013 #70
Shorter version.... Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2013 #76
LMAO!!!!! darkangel218 Jun 2013 #82
That should be a DUzy... Jamastiene Jun 2013 #94
How did he get a Visa so fast? liberal N proud Jun 2013 #78
I believe he's under political asylum aplication right now darkangel218 Jun 2013 #83
Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong? Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #84
If he is in transit only, he likely doesn't need to have visa. idwiyo Jun 2013 #101
. blkmusclmachine Jun 2013 #99
K&R DeSwiss Jun 2013 #109
K&R DeSwiss Jun 2013 #110
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