US Empire

by Defender 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Defender

  This is an interesting article from the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,769755,00.html (you may have to copy the whole url and paste it to work)

  The United States has grown far too strong for any other power on earth to come up and provide a balance. If the UK is feeling unsettled by this how much more are countries like Russia and China?

  If any of you played the game Risk, then one can see a player growing powerful at the expense of the infighting of others. This exactly what happened to the US. While European powers struggled for dominance throughout this century, the US, separated safely behind a large ocean, grew stronger and intervened only to tip the balance and garner the rewards. The US was never in real jeopardy.

  If the prophetic image of Babylon the Great as mentioned in the book of Revelations applies to the US, then one can understand how countries who were once close US allies are going to one day turn against it. And, if those ex-allies are going to turn against the US, they somehow better do it in one fell swoop (as the Revelations book stipulated), as no one will be able to stand if the US is given a chance to strike back.

  Edited by - Defender on 6 August 2002 0:38:4
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  CoonDawg

  Oh, PUUUUHHHLLEEEEEZZ!!

  While I find some of President Bush's foreign policy detestable, I hardly think that this merits the US being labled some kind of boogey-man. Many countries benefit immensely from their trade relations with the US, as well as their shared technologies and military assistance. I am not saying that we haven't made some real boner mistakes in dealing with other countries....Vietnam and Iran both quickly come to mind...I just think that someone is going to be calling the shots...and at the moment...who would you rather have doing it?

  Just a thought...

  CoonDawg
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  DakotaRed

  Great, another trash the US thread. You all may be jealous that the US has become so powerful, but you just better thank your lucky stars it is us and not the former Soviets. America is not bent on world domination. True, we would like to see every other nation gain the freedom and independence we have, but we don't force it on you.

  Just think, if the US folded, who would the Euros blame for their maladies then?

  Lew W
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  Satanus

  After the british empire more or less fell apart, it's former colonies never turned on it. The us is still an ally. Canada and australia, are effectively free of britain. They aren't engaged in any anti-brit actions.

  Italy recieved little combined military action from europe after the empire fell apart. After the arab states got independence from turkey, they never warred against it out of vengence. You oughta chuck that bible on histories ash heap, where it belongs.

  SS
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  Defender

  No this is not another "trash the US" thread. I simply pointed to an article in the Guardian that showed some British unsettlement about US hegemony.

  Whom would I rather be calling the shots, or that I should be lucky that it isn't the former Soviets, is really irrelevant. What we have here is pure geopolitical situation where one power, lets call it "X", has become too powerful to the discomfort of others, including former allies. If history is any guide, then by default, and in due time, there will exist an alliance to counter balance or destroy, if necessary, this emerging power.
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  Stephanus

  Red's right. The US has never been an empire builder, just an extremely powerful nation that looks out for its own interests. Sometimes that self-sufficiency and isolationism can backfire, but the US has never been afraid to go in and sort things out when it needs to.

  My anti-US friends and family resent the fact that MacArthur practically ran Australia under marshall law during WWII. I say: thank God he did! Our brilliant government's plan was to fall back behind a line drawn west from Brisbane and let the Japanese have the rest. MacArthur had more balls and drive, and I for one am glad.
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  Satanus

  If history is any guide, then by default, and in due time, there will exist an alliance to counter balance or destroy, if necessary, this emerging power.

  Not necesarily. Rome had no counter balance. It just kind of broke apart.

  Russia (ussr) would never have come to be a world power without the massive aide it recieved from within the us. The us basically built the ussr. Shortly after the bolshevik revolution, there were american forces fighting for it in siberia. The bolsheviks were financed from the us. W bush's ancestors were invovled in this. Many big industrialists, including henry ford set up factories there. One of the largest steal mills was set up with us help. The us and britain were allied to russia in the second war. After the war, was the lend/lease program, through which the us govt gave thousands of tons of raw materials and exotic minerals for, among other purposes, things such as neuclear reactors/bombs. Also a lot of military equipment was flown over freely. It makes one wonder just how much of a threat russia really ever was. Or was it a scarecrow built to attract the fearful eyes of the us citizenry?

  SS
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  Crazy151drinker

  Yeah Ok, we are a bunch of bad asses. But its not like we can take over the world or anything. We can nuke it though :)

  China is trying to catch up. If those bastards ever get a serious Navy, we will be in some deeeeep shit. So I propose we just nuke them now and get it over with :)

  MacAurther was right!
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  Celtic

  I'm with Defender on this one. I think you are misunderstanding his point some of you. The good old US of A is one ruddy great country that has a massive influence, sometimes good, sometimes bad on the rest of mankinds affairs. Any sociologist in the fields of globalisation needs to take in the whole picture represented. It is a case in point of understanding both sides of the issues and opening up normal debate upon this. This is a good, not a bad thing.

  To misinterpret so often any sentiment presented seemingly against the USA, only serves to show the collective paranoia to criticism, that many residents of that country have, whilst at the same time being blinkered to the wider implications for people everywhere. Entirely missing the point. Remember, some countries from experience have learn't something of this as a culture a very long time ago. America might get there eventually, but it's got one hec of a long way to go still with many genuine mistakes no doubt being made along the way. Such is life.

  Celtic Mark - Cornwall UK
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  Celtic

  Just read the article within the Guardian, sadly so, a very accurate analysis.

  Celtic Mark - Cornwall UK