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Decline and Fall of the US Empire
Signs of the cracking of the US Empire are everywhere — the rise of the People’s Republic of China as the new industrial-capitalist juggernaut ; desparate attempts to maintain control over Middle-Eastern oil reserves ; insolence and contempt for the civilian executive expressed by the high military command of US armed forces ; inability to control the semi-autonomous colonial regime in Israel, disintegration of command structures in Latin America, military stagnation in Iraq and Afghanistan where popular resistance is diffuse and divided among itself but united against neo-colonial occupation ; weakening of control in other "regional command theatres" ; incipient proto fascist revolt among the confused and frightened masses in the US, themselves prepared for authoritarian rule by cultural deprivation and dumbing down by edutainment conditioning by mind-managers commissioned by the reigning oligarchies.
Yes. The inevitable over-extension of the US empire has at last produced the classic effects of weakening of military control on the fringes and of social implosion at the center. The replacement of George W. Bush with Barack Obama as ruling figurehead was a wise decision, but it came too late. Although Obama’s communication skills are excellent and necessary for the consolidation of governing structures, the short-sighted-ness of the Bush clique’s policies hastened the decline of the Empire to the point where real confidence in the continuation of the US government and corporate clans as masters of the world has largely dissipated everywhere. In spite of shriller nationalistic rhetoric in the US, the time now is of cynicism and self-survival. Even the handsome Obama, only a few months ago inspiring hope among the more tolerant and idealistic of his compatriots, is now known as someone best capable of seizing the main chance — for himself.
All that was lacking in this situation is environmental catastrophe. And now it has begun. This, too, was inevitable. The very idea of drilling holes in the sea floor and extracting fossil oils in mind-boggling quantities should have been frightening. But ideological conditioning was able to eliminate the expectation of massive leaks and other accidents. The solution ? There seems to be none acceptable to the present system of capitalist production and profit-taking, unless collective reason is suspended again and the advocats of nuclear power generation have their way. But, here, the environmental catastrophe will be more long lasting, and maybe definitive.
The decline and fall of the US Empire will be a long and disastrous process. The barbarians have already taken their places at the centers of command, and the populations are already beset by either hysteria or cynical accomodation. Among the privileged classes there is a scramble for favor and position. Within the perculating mass of the populace, calls for re-structuring upheaval of some kind are increasing. Insurrections are in the offing. Each conference held by the ruling global elites is a new rehearsal for them. Repression is now an everyday reality. We are entering a new world of resistance and revolt. Only enlightened struggle can help its transformation into something fit for habitation for humans and other living things.