This video represents everything I feel that is wrong with the current administration's way of thinking and it's exactly why I think, contrary to these geniuses assumption, were seeing the beginnings of the end, under Bush, of American dominance on the global stage.
I *want* America to remain the sole independent, dominant super-power in the world, and pre-September 11th, I wanted everything, domestically, to remain pretty much status quo. Call me selfish but hell, under Clinton I had a record paying job, great health care. However, after contemplating the reasons behind such a vicious attack on our innocent civilians, I had to take a hard, long look at the somewhat oppressive measures our foreign policy has taken in order to keep this stranglehold tight, and well as allow the blind eye we've had toward the core conflict behind the unrest in the Middle East, Israelis vs. Palestinians. None of this, of course, justifies the attacks, and I fully support the ongoing War in Afghanistan and the War on Terror, albeit not in the
way that Bush is fighting it. What this introspection did for me, however, was open my eyes to the long-term after-effects of our selfish policies. Everyone, generally, works in their own best interest, but I imagine the rest of the world expects an idealistic super-power to uphold a little higher standard. Maybe
that's the price for having such power, and I'd believe we neglected to pay it by allowing Bush to create a policy of preemption and shun the rest of the world.
As the value of the dollar continues to sink, and as are national deficit continues to skyrocket out of control under Bush, we're going to see country after country move away from traditionally American dominated money markets and go were the real value is, consolidated European economies. The EU, in the face of growing derision for the American administration have no alternative. Why wait for the spoiled brat U.S. to come around to it's senses when you can just work together with your neighbors and eventually buy them out. Smart move, if you ask me, especially now that we're bogged down in a new quagmire in Iraq, which will continue to siphon our money and other valuable resources. Do I like this notion, no, not in the least.
Stephen Roach, the chief economist at investment banking giant Morgan Stanley has predicted America has no better than a 10 percent chance of avoiding economic "Armageddon." A top Chinese economist has confirmed that China has already completely lost faith in the stability of the all-mighty American dollar and its first priority is to broaden the exchange rate for its currency from the dollar to a more flexible basket of currencies (
source). Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office noted that if Bush wins Congressional approval to make his tax cuts permanent, a top priority for the administration, the deficit would grow by $2 trillion over the next 10 years. If war costs in Iraq and Afghanistan taper off gradually, the agency estimated that price tag over the next 10 years could total nearly $600 billion. (
Source)
Red ink as far as the eye can see. A deficit in our domestic economy and a deficit of U.S. support on the world stage. Bush gave the world a choice, you are either "with us, or against us"...a stupid ideology, I must say, and it seems as if the world is starting to make that decision, much to the detriment of our previous dominance. Nuclear missiles will not help us in this battle.
For further reading I suggest
this Financial Times article, written by former neocon Michael Lind, which lists example after example of America's decreasing leadership role in the world.
Summary: Given Bush's belligerence, the world really had two options -- prostrate itself before the American juggernaut and let itself be dominated by a self-serving, might-is-right, administration (and one now ratified by the US voters), or it could build international institutions to offset American power. Given the options, the choice was obvious. The results will haunt the US for decades to come. - Markos Z
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
Send this topic
Print
Topic: Interesting Video (Read 932 times)
