Reply #156: I was speaking of OUR carriers, off China's coast, this summer...

[Crachet2004]

I thought you would be aware of 'Summer Pulse 04'?

On another note, Dick Cheney repeatedly has said the war on terror will be 'multigenerational' and involve as targets, at least 50 nations. We don't have to occupy them to control them...except in the case of those regions that contain heavy concentrations of oil, like eastern Saudi Arabia.

As to an oncoming 'economic war', I think it is ongoing now, and has been since the introduction of the Euro. The next developement is also ongoing, the introduction by Malaysia of the Islamic gold-backed Dinar, for internal trade between the fifty-odd Islamic nations. It will be interesting to see, how the Dollar and Euro, both 'fiat' or floating currencies, compete against this new, hard currency. China is said to be extremely interested in this new developement.

Anyhow, control of the oil in all this is key. If we are successful in our efforts to control this physical resource, you will see the Euro begin to fall against the dollar-becoming, over time, no more important than the yen or the yuan are today. A regional currency, IMHO.

And with regards to your reference to Rome...I would say this is more like we have left the Republic phase, and entered the Empire phase. Concentrations of wealth in individual hands have reached critical mass in this country (and around the world), and now allow actual control. Politics in this country can best be characterized as a struggle between various elites within the ruling oligarchy.

As to England...England is torn. They are in the EU, but have yet to adopt the Euro...as is the case with Norway and Sweden. Will England submerge themselves completely in the continent? I do not know, but if history is any guide, I suspect not. The location of their troops in Iraq speaks volumes, with regards to this.