This story is archived
Imperial Pathologies - Comparing America to Rome and Britain »
Posted by: populist 2 years, 8 months agoThe US Republic has yet to collapse, but an imperial presidency now places great strain on it with a dominant Pentagon and culture of militarism undermining Congress, the courts and our civil liberties.
Read Full Story at populistamerica.com »
Submitted By:
populist
The essays we offer are unapologetically presented for you to read & analyze. Many are offered as a similar view to ours & others simply to invite ...
Who Also Submitted:
This Story is Archived and Commenting is Closed
Comments: 64
-
Pedra
March 13, 2007, 6:48 p.m.Thanks Populist, you've given us another great story.
I saw Mr. Johnson's interview on Democracy NOW and it was highly enlightening. He stated that America has bases in 178 countries. He also said the reason that the Neo-Cons went to war in Iraq was so they could get a base in the Middle East. It is very fascinating to hear a person with his knowledge of world history expound on what the U. S. gov't has propagated throughout the world in the name of "Democracy". The handwriting is on the wall and I'm listening. I'm ready to join a third party (or help start one) that is by the people and for the people of AMERICA.
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:28 p.m.. Thanks also. I'm one of those people who really enjoy reading something thought provoking. However, I think that history doesn't support Mr. Johnson's thesis. It's a classic reinterpretation of historical events in order to make a point about contemporary politcs. That being said, I agree with part of the author's premise: We are functioning in the world as an "empire", and its not the first time in our history! Don't forget the false and misleading intelligence that caused the U.S. to declare war on Spain in 1898 (Who really blew up the MAINE) and immediately conquer Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Phillipines. There's more coming.
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:43 p.m.In the Phillipines, we successfully fought against a Muslim insurgency using the strategy that Gen. Petraes is applying in Iraq. After losing almost 5,000 dead over 5 or 6 years, we broke the back of the insurgency, but still had problems for another 10 years after that. Ironically enough, we are facing a revival of that insurgency now, and have had Special Forces there since 9/11 to suppress it. Read "Imperial Grunt" for details of U.S. imperialism. Are we becoming militarist? I hardly think so. Is our military becomes larger? No, it's shrunk since the Cold War ended
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:43 p.m.. Do we have a praetorian type guard to turn into a state within a state? I don't think so. The CIA has alot less power than it did dukring the Cold War when it really did finance and support coup d'etats. Historically, the Government bent and sometimes broke civil liberties in wartime, even WWII. Was the post 9/11 legislation a dangerous usurption of authority by the President? Probably, and I'm very concerned about how many Congresspeople jumped on the bandwagon. The problem is that there never was a Pax Americana except in some peoples fantasies. We were always under threat, particularly during the Cold War
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:44 p.m.If you want to invoke history, you need to look at the whole picture. The UK didn't choose between democracy and empire. The UK was drained of manpower and broke after losing hundreds of thousands of dead in WWI and WWII. Besides, the compromise was the Commenwealth and the substitution of colonial overseers by British educated elites. Trade was the key and occupation was expensive and hard.
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:45 p.m.The Roman Empire lost its martial spirit when it left frontier security to armies raised on the frontiers. History teaches us ("The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire") that the abandonment of core values contributed to its inability to prevent the Barbarian tribes from overwhelming its borders. The legions spent most of their time in Rome playing politics and choosing emperors. Don't forget that Rome fell, but Byzantian lived on for another 1,000 years. Cesar didn't become emperor because the Senate noted it. After all, he was assasinated by the Senate. The problem was that every general had his own army loyal to him, and they would help him take power. This is what destroyed the Western Roman Empire, not a Senate vote.
-
DobyGillis
March 13, 2007, 8:48 p.m.Hitler's rise was also based on the humiliation of WWI. I think that its the height of hyperbole to equate the two. Anyway, I probably went on too long, but I repeat my initial point about reading too many contemporary lessons from taking history out of context.
-
-
STILLWATER00
March 14, 2007, 4:08 a.m.possiblity of another big Yen carry sell off
this week.
That will hit gold and stocks hard. I am not sure but we definitely have a
good possibility of this.
One of the major reasons is the continuing losses from USsubprime lenders -
the US stock market did not like that at all, and Japan will most definitely
is not going to like it either tonight...
more Yen carry selling in markets hitting everything.
-
Gwanpaw
March 14, 2007, 6:17 a.m.It seems to me that America is under a military coup. Eisenhower's warning about "the military industrial complex" in all it's glory. We don't see troops in our America's streets yet but, don't hold your breath.
-
Star_Poet
March 14, 2007, 7:12 a.m.Populist,
I see why you took me off your mailing list. I disagree with you quite often.
Silence the views of those that disagree with you and can prove it.
Oi!!!
Populist, I think your heart is in the right place, yet your methods are completely misguided.
Poet
-
braveone
March 14, 2007, 9:19 a.m.this article should have been posted in the humor catagory,
but then agian, maybe some folks will believe this crap.
-
Macondo
March 14, 2007, 11:37 a.m.I don't believe this is our falling in the sense it happened to the Romans or British.
However it is very obvious the last administration, has exercised a prolonged negative impact in our economy, our position in the international arena and our moral values.
In 6 years we have moved back decades.
Our country will recover but this process is going to take time, meanwhile progress and civilization in other areas of the word does not stop.
It will need the internal reunification of our goals, moral restoration and hard work.
-
contrast
March 14, 2007, 12:06 p.m.gee populist you just wont stop. So what we had two bad terms back to back. 8 years of a bad presidency will drag us down into oblivion? You must be kidding. America has weathered much tougher stuff than 8 years of bad policies. But if you wanna think we're on a collision course with doom hoping a democrat wins in 2008 so that you can make them out to be Jesus Christ Superstar that will "save" america from itself be my guest buddy you wouldnt be the first who is setting this up.
-
splitrch
March 14, 2007, 12:13 p.m.There will always be parallels between civilizations past and present. Technology changes but people seem to make the same mistakes. What the author didn't point out is that the Roman Republic was a very exclusive club. In the late Republic era as many as 50% of the inhabitants of the Empire were slaves. Many citizens were so poor, voting(had they been allowed to), would have been for whomever promised them the most. Caesar used this to his great advantage. Also remember that by the time Octavian came to power Rome had fought a series of Civil Wars lasting about a century. They may have been ready for stability - at any cost. Another thing he didn't mention is that wars of aggrandizement were normal.
I guess what I'm saying is that we have the power and authority to change the government if we think it is going in the wrong direction. The Roman population didn't have that ability. We just need to make sure we aren't lured into unconsciousness by the old bread and circuses trick.
-
coolicula
March 14, 2007, 1:13 p.m.Whenever I read this type of nonsense and read the inane comments from a bunch of paranoid schizophrenics, I wonder how you keep escaping from your rubber rooms, get past the guards and down to the hospital's rec room to use the computers! Don't you worry that the CIA will plant exploding pillows on your bunk while you're gone? Poison the macaroni and cheese in the mess hall? Give you an "accidental" overdose of your medications? Better hurry back to your cells and polish your tinfoil beanies, because that protects you from the rays the CIA is beaming down from satellites to control what's left of your brain!
-
EJEJ
March 14, 2007, 2:04 p.m.Although the author does his own interpetation, one thing sticks out to me and it isn't placing blame on any one party. As someone else pointed out it is the people! Unfortunatly it seems to me as each generation passes they are becoming more desensetized to the things that are ugly in this world and more in tune to their own wants.
There is no easy fix and I believe we could be going the way of Rome. Although I don't believe the fallout will happen in our lifetimes, I think it will happen.
-
Riverrat
March 14, 2007, 2:22 p.m.I think that most of our problems are connected with the court system of our country. we are slowly becoming a nation ruled by the courts.We were founded on the a system of a two controls, Congress and Executive. But now if Congress passes a law it is not the law of the land unless the courts says it is. I thought that the courts were supposed to enforce the Law and not re-write it to suit the way they think it should be. Some judges interpret the law as they go along, to suit the case they are hearing, not the way it was written. Now the A.C.L.U. is suing a city for passing a law that is trying to control illegals because their crime rate has gone up since so many have moved into their small Pa. town. Now we cant even control the law of our towns without the approval of the A.C.L.U God Bless America and give us some leaders that will stand up for the U.S.A. and not try to please the world with money
Look after those here at home that need help
-
EJEJ
March 14, 2007, 3:48 p.m.splitrch, yea and the A.C.L.U. supports NAMBLA, the group that practices distroying little boys lives by raping them. Whose civil liberties need to be supported I ask you?????
-
vor
March 14, 2007, 4:45 p.m.The conservatives are in complete denial as expected. They didn't learn from history in regards to fiddling in the ME and they will ignore history as our Empire evaporates. It is so predictable as to be almost humorous.
American influence is on the wain. The more we spread ourselves thin the more vulnerable we become. The more debt we incur the more economically vulnerable we become. We wont be brought down militarily from outside but more likely from within. By those who ignore the obvious issues we face and choose to defer them to another day, another generation. That will be our eventual downfall. Either that our someone like Cheney will come to power and accomplish what Cheney has not. Acquiring unprecedented power for the excutive branch, this was the thrust after 9/11 and was rebuffed. Of course these executive powers would have been exercised by GW as directed by Cheney. A frightening scenario.
-
elzorro2162
March 14, 2007, 6:04 p.m.Insightful historical analysis. This is a warning to America. Thanks for another great post!
Z
-
mark-stevens
March 14, 2007, 9:15 p.m.How about the parades of thousands in Michigan supporting Hezbollha. Hezbollha took credit for the murder of three hundred marines. I have heard no one protesting those parades.
A dozen Nazi sympathizers marching would get huge national news and protesters. What are we focusing on??
-
The first 62 comments are shown. Show all 64 comments »
Submit a Story
Advertisement
