There is not much new in history!

On the retreat from Moscow in the winter of 1812 Napoleon Bonaparte complained that the countries of Europe did not understand that “the Russian Colossus” was the “enemy”. General Caulaincourt tried to set him straight: “As a matter of fact, it is Your Majesty they fear. It is Your Majesty who is the cause of everyone’s anxieties and prevents them seeing other dangers. The governments are afraid there is going to be a World State.” Caulaincourt had already told Napoleon that he “ought not shut his eyes to the fact that it was only too well understood in Europe nowadays that, when he concerned himself with the affairs of a country, it was to serve his own rather than its interests”.

At the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy over the weekend, Russia’s President Putin said that “we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations”; and that “one state, the US, has overstepped its national boundaries in every way”. “It is a world of one master, one sovereign”, he said. “This is very dangerous, nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law.”

Putin is clearly telling the US what Caulaincourt was telling Napoleon.
For full story see: http://www.jeffschubert.com/index.php?id=46

I am all for America falling apart at the seams soon. This might seem harsh, but I think major internal problems are an eventuality for the US, and whilst I fear for world stability in both social and economic terms when this happens, the longer we have to wait for the fall, the harder the fall will be. Its certainly not the first time a superpower has imploded and I dare say it wont be the last.

I wonder if Iran would even bother with a nuclear program if it didnt fear interference from the heathen West?

It would be awesome if the USA fell apart because then we could ally ourselves with China, and maybe even Cuba and Venezuela would let us hang out with them. That would be so cool!

Who needs those awful Americans with their ridiculous democracy and freedom ? Far better to have a love in with some brutal dictatorships and failed Marxist wastelands.

To paraphrase LBJ : The Americans may be sons of bitches , but they are our sons of bitches!

Zbigniew Brzezinski Calls Iraq War a Historic, Strategic and Moral Calamity & Says Stop the Trappings of Colonial Tutelage

SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITEE TESTIMONY -- ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI,
national security adviser to President Carter.

February 1, 2007

http://www.nowpublic.com/zbigniew_brzezinski_calls_iraq_war_a_historic_strategic_and_moral_calamity_says_stop_the_trappings_of_colonial_tutelage

So, the US exemplify “a false sense of national identity”.

It is fairy honest conclusion of an author calling himself “an Australian” eventually.

The rest need no comment at all.

Yes, a good thought provoking article Peter. I have been thinking the same thing especially since 9/11. The USSR dissolved in a bloodless revolution predictably by bankrupting itself through the heavy investment in the machinery of war to the exclusion of the people's needs.
The USA is on a similar trajectory, they just have a little more money to buy time. A nation that imprisons more of its citizens than any other, that pushes most of its citizens into poverty when there was none before, that disregards fair trade, that steals the wealth of other nations, is on the brink of catastrophe. America really only became outwardly aggressive on the instigation of Winston Churchill, but seems to have become addicted to its muscle power, but it is tireing and about to fall in a heap exhausted. Americans are mostely nice like you and me, but they get excited about money and forget there are more important things, like health, and love, and art, and science, and nature. Sure, they have poor leadership, but that's because they a have relatively little democracy, that some say will inevitably lead to the country's collapse. I think we should be concerned here in cringe country, after all, 400 million Indonesians are looking for a stable real estate to build their nuclear power stations on.

Barfenzie “America really only became outwardly aggressive on the instigation of Winston Churchill,”

Which part of the American–Spanish Wars were at Winston Churchill’s Instigation?

“The USSR dissolved in a bloodless revolution predictably by bankrupting itself through the heavy investment in the machinery of war to the exclusion of the people's needs.
The USA is on a similar trajectory, they just have a little more money to buy time.”

The reason USSR collapsed was because their ideology lacked the resilience of the Western Powers, as well as being financially and morally bankrupt.

It was the US “Trajectory” which bankrupted the USSR. It is completely unrealistic to pretend USA is going the same way as USSR or likely to anytime in the future whilst it remains a liberal democracy.

As for “but they get excited about money and forget there are more important things, like health, and love, and art, and science, and nature.”

New York is the venue of as much “Art” and a magnet for artistic creativity as anywhere in Australia.
Vast sums of American wealth is spent on health research, philanthropy, scientific and natural science, far more an amount than was ever spent in USSR or the combined states of Europe or Australia.

Obviously, you are viewing Americans from afar. A profound lack of knowledge of a people is no basis for casting judgment on them all.

As for “that's because they a have relatively little democracy,”

Strange, I thought the US President was head of state, Australia does not elect a head of state (not that I am necessarily recommending it as a good thing but it is more “democratic”).

America also holds public elections for its principal local government officials like sheriffs, magistrates and some judges. Something which is not available to Australians where our police commissioners and judges are all “appointed” and not elected through any "democratic" process at all.

It seems your ability to pronounce accurate instant judgments is hindered by what is commonly referred to as “pig ignorance”.

"Democracy" is alive and well in USA. That you dislike its outcome is your problem.

"It [the United States] is not a "natural" nation as such, based in some ethno-cultural history..."

Neither is Australia.

Can we survive?

Should we return to the White Australia policy to ensure all immigrants share a common "ethno-cultural history?"

Can Europe survive a Muslim influx? Muslim migrants do not share an "ethno-cultural history" with native Europeans.

Should Europeans bar Muslim migrants to ensure their survival?

McMahon's scenario is possible if you assume that the United States is swarming with gun-toting far-right fanatics willing to carry out a violent revolution if the Democrats win. But is this correct?

Most Americans – including most Evangelical Christians – are quite moderate, pragmatic people. The America that survived the Civil War, the depression and Vietnam is likely to survive Bush and Iraq.

Nothing is impossible of course but McMahon's piece seems to be an exercise in wishful thinking.

On the other hand I think McMahon has the outline of a great political thriller here. Maybe he should abandon journalism for fiction. It's something he seems more suited to.

The collapse of the USSR was predetermined with all run of a Russian-style colonial history where local nationalist forces grabbed both financial and political powers since independence from Moscow. Is some difference from the US situation traced already?

Arrogance, xenophobia and rejecting the outside intelligence are inevitable reasons for decay and collapse of Anglo-commonwealth that is an Anglo-sphere outside multinational pot-style presidential USA, based on still-around English crown well-underpinned with the USA force and resources.

Therefore, a question is what AUSTRALIA to be if the USA collapsed rather than playing English while discussing European possibilities and Islam’s peaceful invading.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

" ... To paraphrase LBJ : The Americans may be sons of bitches , but they are our sons of bitches! ... "

That's what a head of the c.i.a. said about *Saddam Hussein*

...

JA'Lobo:
"Only SandPeople Children are they *Anakin?*

ANAKIN g.w.bush Turkey:
" .. If you're not with me, then you're my enemy! ... "

OBI-WAN:
" ... Only a *Sith* deals in absolutes. ... "

I like the quotes! The Americans (or the Bushes?) falling out with Saddam is something they are paying for now.

Maybe a case of "Better the Devil you know" ?

For our own good, reckon we need America for us to survive. But believe it or not, reckon smart-ar-ed Americana does need advice from her Anglophile allies. Not so much from John Howard and Tony Blair, who so far have followed Bush like a couple of purring kittens, but real strong gutsy advice, which does often happen with successful families.

In fact, I really feel that Peter also believes we still need America. So keep up the pressure for beneficial political change, guys and gals, even for the Democrats. Reckon it's up to us onliners. So follow Peter and keep up the pressure for some plain common sense - while others of us might prefer to pray for wisdom and understanding.

But please don't pull the punches, for unfortunately it will not be a time of pleasantries

An example of us putting pressure on a US which is itself putting too much pressure on our academics and historians to follow the American Way is to quote from a historical example.

Here is passage from the great German philosopher Immanuel Kant as regards a nation in a unipolar position with a President who is using his powers to tread the very dangerous path of going it alone.

"The idea of international law presupposes the separate existence of many independent but neighbouring states. Although this condition is itself a state of war, this is rationally preferable to the amalgamation of states under one superior power." (As we exist today with unipolar America and an over-determined President ....?)

As Kant goes on to say - ".....under one superior power, democratic laws will always lose in vigor what a government gains in extent - hence (possibly) a soulless despotism after stifling the seeds of the good...."

What Kant is talking about here, is that multipolarity is far superior to unipolarity. Kant's multipolarity, however, different to the United Nations which has tried follow his principles, was simply quoted as a Federation of Nations.

Once again it is necessary to use Old Pap research to awaken an increasingly dumb world to what has been called historical veritableness.

To again quote Immanuel Kant, along with St Thomas Aquinas, regarded as the greatest of Christian thinkers who posed the significance of balancing faith with reason.

As Kant concludes his passage after praising republicanism, but warning about a unilateral republic which gives a President far too much personal power:

“Under one universal monarchy or power, laws will often lose their vigor compared to what a federal union gains in extent. Henceforth what remains can be a a soulless despotism stifling the Seeds of the Good.....”

The above lesson is glaringly shown with the position of the United States government right now in Iraq.

The above position comes as a pitiful last resort after over four years of failure in Iraq not only fighting against Sunnis and Shias, themselves sworn enemies against each other over a single Shia bloodline from Mahomet, but both still regarding America as an illegal occupier.

As Iran is strongly supporting the Shias whom George W Bush first dragged American in to save, there are rumours that the Sunnis are being backed by Saudi Arabian Mullahs.

A recent lull in Bhagdad had Condoleeza Rice a couple of days ago full of smiles for Georgy Dubya, but reckon the latest Sunni attack on the Shias with sixty dead might twist her smile a little.

Could reckon the whole shebang now in Iraq needs a strong global get-together, but could say that still with an unsure rather dumb world public, including most of our Onliners, looks like letting the worst take its course.

Bushbred,

The Iraqi sectarian leadership has chosen the path of war. I doubt there is anything we CAN do to stop Iraqis slaughtering each other.

Certainly I do not think we should be asking our troops to put their lives on the line in what looks increasingly like a futile mission. Immediate withdrawal is the only realistic option. Leave it to Iraqis, Iranians, Saudis, etc to decide whether they want to continue killing each other, or not, as THEY decide.

So, the more they kill each other - the less foreign instructors needed there.

Keeping oil supply safe while Iranian mullahs toss those of others is the major priority to be as long as a Western dependence on natural resources requires -regrettably.

How did having elections equate to democracy? Just ask an Iraqi about how having elections has changed their lives. Or Zimbabwean. Or Russian. I agree that elections are a necessary condition for democracy- but it is hardly sufficient.

Col- America is a healthy democracy?

Lets see. By your own admission, America is a liberal democracy. So, with help from Wikipedia:

(Paraphrased) Liberal democracy “is a representative democracy in which the ability of the elected representatives to exercise power is subject to the rule of law, and moderated by a constitution that emphasizes the protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals

The rights of liberal democracies are varied, but usually include most of the following: rights to due process, privacy, property and equality before the law, and freedoms of speech, assembly and religion.”

Lets tick ‘em off:

Due process: Today the American court of Appeals stripped habius corpus from all detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Privacy: PATRIOT and Homeland Security have seen an end to the ideas of privacy in the US.

Equality before the Law: The overwhelming preponderance of black and Hispanic men in American goals probably suggest that is also more myth than substance.

Freedom of Speech: The ‘War on Criticism’ that yields the lines ‘emboldening terrorists’ in response to any comments questioning the current administrations position

Freedom of Assembly: Relocation of people protesting the President from the path of the presidential motorcade to ‘free speech zones’- neither seen nor heard by their elected representatives.

Freedom of Religion: well, so long as you are supporting the true religion, you’re free to do anything!!

And as for elections: let’s not forget that Bush was ‘elected’ only because the American Supreme Court STOPPED the officials in Florida from re-counting votes (which I’m told is the basic currency of democracy).

Doesn’t seem healthy to me!

Through the apathy of the populace and the connivance of the powerful, the supports of American democracy have been drastically weakened. As Peter said, without some major renovation, they're likely to bring the roof down on their heads- and maybe ours as well.

Is not an endless number of legislative causes,various courts and qualified lawyers on extra-orbital wages the best testimony to a level of development democracy possesses?

Mylakhrion “Today the American court of Appeals stripped habius corpus from all detainees at Guantanamo Bay.”

Detainees are there because they are prisoners of war in a war for which no peace agreement or cessation of hostilities has transpired. Habius corpus has never been applicable to PoWs.

’ PATRIOT and Homeland Security have seen an end to the ideas of privacy in the US.”

And these laws have sunset clauses, they are rigorously regulatged and subject to senate and congressional review.

Strangely none of the Americans I speak to have complained about the curtailment of their “liberty”

“Equality before the Law: The overwhelming preponderance of black and Hispanic men in American goals probably suggest”

It also suggests most felons and criminals hail from Hispanic and black origins. Having lived in USA and experienced life there, I can understand that. Anglo Saxons have a far greater respect for the rule of law and other people than either blacks of Hispanics.

Freedom of Speech: - has never extended to libel

Freedom of Assembly – has never extended to freedom to obstruct others.

Freedom of Religion – oh don’t forget separation of church and state, a topic dealt with far more regularly and serious in USA than in Australia

The US Supreme Court was the court of appeal qualified to deal with the close count between Bush and Gore, I note you were not on it – so who the hell are you to judge?

“Doesn’t seem healthy to me!”

If that is the best you can do, all I can say is US Democracy seems a lot healthier than your twisted and malevolent reasoning.’

Because you don’t like the way things are is your problem, deal with it, don’t bore us by whining about it, especially when your debating prowess is so - juvenile

Col: mate, sticks and stones.

Word count limits me, so I can’t answer all. Still, a few points:

By the US’s oew admission, the detainees are not PoWs, but ‘unlawful combatants’. This is a fudge set up to provide an unlawful bridge between the civilians and enemy soldiers. Look it up. If they are civies, then they are entitled to habeas corpus. If they are PoWs, then they are entitled to their rights as defined by the Geneva Conventions. Simple. Either way the US has violated their right of due process.

Secondly, it doesn’t matter that if there are sunset clauses- PATRIOT represents an incredible violation of the right to personal privacy. Secret wholesale data mining of US citizens telephone calls (for example) is still an invasion- it’s irrelevant that some in the government knew about it. And, don’t forget, sunsets can be postponed (as they have already).

As for the Americans you speak to not caring: well, the ones I speak to DO resent it. So who wins?

Thirdly: How can labelling your right to protest the decisions of your lawmakers as ‘obstructionist’ and ‘libellous’ be considered good for democracy? How can "you're either with us, or you're against us" [Bush quote] be in any way seen as a positive thing for a democratic system that’s supposed to be based on open debate of issues?

Finally, the Florida election in 2000 featured, in the words of the US Commission on Civil Rights, “widespread disenfranchisement and denial of voting rights … by a pattern and practice of injustice, ineptitude, and inefficiency” Hardly an endorsement for a solid democratic system. And this was for the PRESIDENT!

I can’t judge whether the SC was correct in preventing the hand counting on legal terms. But the obvious irregularities leading to a margin of less that 600 votes should have seen both sides working to get to the truth, rather than fighting for justice. That the court was used rather than looking for an honest count is what’s damning here. Bush may have won, but American democracy lost.

"It also suggests most felons and criminals hail from Hispanic and black origins. Having lived in USA and experienced life there, I can understand that. Anglo Saxons have a far greater respect for the rule of law and other people than either blacks of Hispanics." by Col.Rouge.

Having experienced life in the USA, I can understand that Anglo- Saxons have not greater respect for both the rule of law and other people than either blacks or Latinos, but a much better living level because of a practical realisation of employment opportunities.

More doom and gloom and America-bashing. If you've never lived in America, how can you pretend to know about its structure, its strengths, its very essence? The America you talk about is one from the books, just as the Australia I might write about would be quite different than the Australia you know.

I can assure you that having lived in the USA for 40+ years, either a woman or a black man as the president will have a unifying effect on the country.

The USA IS a very different sort of country, one with a unique history, a unique perspective, and like any country, the USA cannot be defined by one person or one policy at any given time. It is a sum of many things, and quite frankly, anyone who hopes for the downfall of the USA (as some other commentors on this article do) are simply suffering from Tall Poppy syndrome.

No other country in the world has provided as much aid and assistance to the rest of the world, PER CAPITA, throughout her history. Yes, the USA is rich. Yes, the USA has many troubles, as does every single country in the world. Because she is the biggest on the block, her troubles seem brighter and shinier than most. Who is to say that the the "closed" countries such as China do not have even worse troubles? We wouldn't know. By her nature the USA is open and fairly transparent to the rest of the world, even as she struggles with her current problems and issues.

You never do answer your own question. But my question to you is this: what is the point of your article?

I would hope that everyone who occupies this planet, particularly at this time of global problems demanding global solutions, everyone, especially those who claim to be the intellectuals among us, would come together in the spirit of cooperation to push us all forward rather than hoping to hold some of us back or speculate about the massive downfall of one of the most influential countries on this planet

Thank you, Stars N Stripes.

I am sick and tired to witness colonial xenophobia, hypocricy and stupidity where annihilating intelligence (and very human lives despised to a mere biological dole-depending existence)of not complaining with England-related feudal establishment quest for under-caste slaves in Australia is, as one could say, a very sign of a loyalty by anyone being allowed being taken on employment locally.

With known social and all other problems, GOD BLESS AMERICA - A Land of Free!