Guardian UK: Athletes from US & China are unwitting soldiers in a war...one superpower in decline...

[marmar]

Serious games
Athletes from Washington and Beijing are unwitting footsoldiers in a war between one superpower in decline, and another in the ascendant

Michael Williams
guardian.co.uk, Thursday August 14 2008 15:35 BST


America is at war. Make no mistake about it. I check the internet daily for the latest updates. Yahoo in the US has provided a nice little counter where I can keep track of the wins and losses. NBC pours out television coverage without end. Every moment of glory, every nadir of defeat is shown live. Like most Americans, I can't get enough. Will we win the war? Will we remain a superpower or are our days numbered? Will the Beijing Olympics be our undoing?

Sure, the Russians might still be invading Georgia and the amorphous war on terror is eating up millions of dollars an hour in Iraq and Afghanistan, but for America the real focus is on Beijing. Even George W Bush is there, while the world slowly goes to hell in a handbasket. This is a contest where we know who the opposition is. We know what the goals are. We can define winning and losing. We know that if we don't bring home more medals – especially those all-important gold medals – that another nail will be driven into the coffin of American decline. America needs a win for its psychological well-being and it can't afford a loss.

For some time now it has been extremely popular to talk of America's fall from grace. The American Century is over, China is on the rise. Given that the US is bogged down in two conflicts, the economy in stagnation and the only place the dollar still has value is in Disney World, the pundits have suitable grounds for their arguments. Perhaps they ignore the assumptions upon which the economic rise of China is predicated: uninterrupted growth at the current rate for the next few decades; continued peace and stability across the country; a compliant population. But these issues do not matter.

The zeitgeist is with China, not America. The world believes America is on its way out and China is taking over the driver's seat. The Olympics may be the one place where the US can show it still is the most powerful country on earth. The raw power of youth and talent is a telling indicator of the future, is it not? It is with good reason that politicians and publics alike in the US are enraptured with the games. Great power politics were more the once played out through the games in the 20th century. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/14/olympics2008.china1

[DS1]

1. Yeo

I mean, yep, Bush killed America off at the precise time it needed a big turn around to hopefully correct the damage done. Instead, he floored the gas pedal, after putting in a bigger engine, and soldered the steering wheel in place. With a slight angle to the right which only gets worse as we go faster.

There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're going
Or which way the wind is blowing
Is it raining? Is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a-blowing?
Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Oh, the fires of hell are glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing?
Yes! The danger must be growing (Faster! Faster!)
For the rowers keep on rowing (Faster! Faster!)
And they're certainly not showing (Faster! Faster!)
Any signs that they are slowing (Faster! Faster!)
Stop the boat.

[madrchsod]

2. who is going to buy china`s goods to fuel it`s growth?

both the usa and now europe is showing signs of going into a prolonged recession. almost a billion people in a prolonged recession will not fuel china`s growth. china faces pressure from india and other south east asian countries in wages and efficiency of production.

we maybe in decline but that decline will mean trouble for china as well.....