Reply #12: The author and Abizaid don't have a clue

[teryang]

We are losing.

As far as the revolutions of 1848 are concerned he is on the side of the aristocratic reactionaries who feared the loss of their pampered and privileged social positions. Those would be the non-longer competitive elites of American corporatism who now have to take resources and markets by force (colonialism replaces "free trade"). The reactionary leaders of restoration unleashed the forces which ultimately led to WWI and WWII.

This is not the most powerful American military ever fielded in relative terms. In fact, opposition by any major Asian power will result in military catastrophe. This is why the pre-emptive nuclear doctrine was adopted, to prevent military "surprises" like the sudden reversals on the battlefield which could easily be inflicted on us at this point. American forces are overstretched and overcommited to an elective war which is without strategic significance except insofar as it weakens us and creates the very problems it purportedly is fighting against.

The main purpose of the so called "war on terror" is to provide a cover to perpetuate the capital intensive (cold war) Defense contracting and oil sectors which are in danger of losing their respective material bases. Another purpose is to create a police state to stave off the inevitable social unrest which will arise due to our steadily declining standard of living.

Our defense organization is ineffective, inefficient, and suffers from a severe manpower imbalance given the enormous resources wasted on it.