Chalmers Johnson, anybody heard of him?

[TMA_1]

He wrote a book a bit ago that I just picked up, called Nemesis.

So far what I have heard him talk about "on C-Span...lol" and a little from his book, this guy percieves the real sickness that the west is in, specifically America. He talks about his fears of a Bankroll from the petro dollar, to the petro euro. He also talks about the growing debt and stagnation in American government. I am not being very detailed here, but there are many things that he states and has stated that send chills down my spine, even saying that Americans should prepare for the worst at any moment.

He discusses the atrocity of empire in AMerica, how the republic is pretty much dead and is now in control by a smattering of greedy corperate heads, and currupt government leaders. I have heard this before, but he discusses it as simple fact, not as mere propaganda, he also discusses how America evolved into empire.

Anyways I usually dont add to my posts, but I feel compelled to actually live up to my word and write something much more detailed. I am scratching a surface here, and not doing the best at it. Since it will be a bit, I just suggest getting Blowback, or Nemesis. I have heard this man being compared to Gibbon.

[Egeides]

Well it seems like a common fuzzy understanding here.

I haven't checked one by one, but I know no democratic country presently. I've seen no one claiming otherwise around here, and the bits I've heard from elite English colleges were unambiguous.

I'm not too sure who is keeping afloat the idea publicly, but they're late on the news for sure. I crossed the path of an Oxbridge student (American), and he answered about his vote "They're all quite bad, but I'll take the one that's not dynastic. Bush I wasn't too bad. But Bush II!... We couldn't survive another II." So he'll vote to keep Clinton II out. A true Republican.

As for saving civilization literature, I'd study fascism and Italian Renaissance.

[nemafakei]

I've not come across this guy, but I will say that the situation is not fundamentally different in any western country in the ways that you describe. It's just that the US is so large, has so much in terms of natural resources and military power, that it's a lot more obvious. 

[Dude_Doc]

I've read his book "Sorrows of the Empire". Fascinating book.

[TMA_1]

it was a rather vague rehashing, really pretty shitty. It was mainly just a recollection of things spoken of on an interview.

It was more than just the discussion of the oil problem, or the issues America is facing in the middle east, I mean that is all apart of it, but Mr Johnson went into greater detail concerning American Imperialism.

I was never really struck with the idea that America was imperialistic, mainly because I never saw the collection of standard stereotypes, and maybe also, I never really cared to look into greater detail.

On the show I watched though, I heard some things that well, kind of blew me away. The fact that we have almost a thousand military bases located throughout the world. I always knew we had many many military bases, and took it for granted that tehy were there for the good of this nation. What shocked me tough was how bloated the military industrial complex is. How much people have to gain from the military enterprise, how the military industrial complex thrives on conflict, and how it cannot grow without it. It is as if it has grown into it's own seperate entity, really a seperate conglomerate of government and business interests throughout the world.

See, this thing cannot be stopped, at least not right now. I think that after WW2, many companies got fat off the government, and it seems like they didnt want them to stop the flow of cash. As I said it is a conglomerate of many businesses working to get government contracts to build and maintain military equipment, and like any other mighty business, the flow of cash (through making products for the military) cannot be stopped. I guess I am rambling here, but I never really analysed this before.

It freaks me out! that is what I am trying to say.lol

Something inside me tells me that it wont ever stop until America goes bankrupt. What if we suffer the same fate (albiet not as extreme) as the soviet union? I mean its not a very good analogue, but I cant think of anything else. I just dont see a very happy view of things for many folks in America. we are being sucked slowly deeper into the sea by the tide pull of economic globalization. And the thing that seems so scary to me is this, that so many people dont know how the globalization of national economies is evolving. I dont know anybody who really knows how this all works, and where everybody will be (as far as class and other things go) here in this country. Somethings just seems so irrational about it all to me. I get a feeling that the future wont look super bright for many.

I at least hope that developing countries can get a good leg in, especially Africa. I read somewhere that the rate of population growth is going to deminish a little bit in the coming generations just because of the terrible conditions over there in Africa.

[Egeides]

Wth TMA, are you passing from conservative to vehement lefty? ;D

Seriously though, a long long time ago... something similar happened with the other democracy. But the interesting is this: little guys tried to create the same system in American colonies, but Greece wasn't too much of a center focus of policy-making. So the question is (other than present issues): Do you have an idea of how to make so that the next ones do better?

After a war, there is a system for war-time laws to go back to normal. Fine.

Any system for war-time economy/politics to go back to normal?

[Dude_Doc]

The fact that we have almost a thousand military bases located throughout the world.

Yes, that one amazed me too. Why are there bases in Germany, I never understood.

Something inside me tells me that it wont ever stop until America goes bankrupt. What if we suffer the same fate (albiet not as extreme) as the soviet union? I mean its not a very good analogue, but I cant think of anything else.

Even if America somehow "crashes", what is there to prevent other nations, such as maybe India or China, to exploit their surroundings (Middle Asia)? Or Russia for that matter? The only thing to stop this kind of exploitation now and in the future is a complete global overhaul.

Wth TMA, are you passing from conservative to vehement lefty?

No, really, why is it that you just have to be Republican and support war and economic globalization?

[Egeides]

Just kidding Doctor, I just noticed how TMA suddenly has a different angle on the topic then his usual.

I am indeed for saving elephants when they seem so clueless in the corridor, but not even worth it without calming them first. And there's the three ostriches with their heads in the toilet too.

[TMA_1]

hehe.. my outlook has changed dramatically in certain areas, still so ignorant on so many issues concerning the greater scheme of things in the world, but I am searching. Still rather conservative when it comes to my faith though.

Yeah, when I realized that America had so many military bases, and not a small amount that are partly or all together concealed for purposes not revealed, I was shocked. Something wicked stinks, and it's stench is becoming more apparent the more I search. It affirms many things, but it also shocks me as well. I fear that my nation is terminally ill.On a personal issue, I see fellow believers sucked into the quicksand of politics and secular social issues, focusing less and less on the heavenly kingdom.

[Durdin]

The US being an "empire" isn't anything new, it has been so since it's creation, since before it. Before the US was a nation, Washington's army was expanding the empire, burning down Iroquois villages, etc. A good book with a different look at US history, read Peoples' History of the United States by Howard Zinn.

Here's a time line of some US imperialism:

http://adbusters.org/media/flash/hope_and_memory/timeline.swf

[Sneakgab]

To be honest I'm surprised suspicions weren't (more) roused before.

A look at America: corporates buying up everything in foreighn countries; creating monopolies and opening up sweat shops (gaining control over foreigh populace via employment), American military based everwhere, constant development and production of military and weapons...

Has anyone noticed that if you look at % of time (that America has existed) that they have been at war with somebody is rather large for a modern post 19th century nation? Seriously, they've only been around for about a 100 years but they've been in WW1, WW2, cold war (if that counts), war with vietnam, gulfwar, various intrusions into 3rd world countries and middle east, e.t.c

Some of these were legit... anyway the possible reasons for these wars to me seem to be:

1.Ethical reasons

2. Excuse for military contracts (ie: corp influence for corp profit)

3. Oil (mostly corp influence again)

4. Exerting pressure to protect foreighn corps and trade treaties (look at guatemala, that guy was pretty much taken out for nationalizing the banana land in his country owned by a large American fruit company that just happened to have high ranking members with very close personal relations to high ranking American goverment members lol)

Looking at the above, I think I could venture a guess on which reasons come out the most for the forum members here :D

Looking at America's military, it's not like the Gov can chalk it up to self-defense can they? who could possibly threaten America militarily (unless a major portion of the world united against them). Do they really need F-22's so hurriedly when their air force can pretty much rape anything as is?

Actually what worries me more are some of the (admittedly far-fechted wive-tale sounding weapons but oh well) more advanced weapons I have heard rumors of. I saw a doccie saying that they were working on satelite that could focus light on a large area to melt/cause pain to people for friggin crowd control.

But I guess that's just a silly vivid imagination talking.

About the whole ''democracy'' thing.

Well, to put it simply, a two-party system where both parties are nearly identical never really seemed like much of a democracy to me. The ''democracy'' that exists today in America reminds me of old Stalinist Russia where the vote option were ''yes'' or ''no'' for the communist party and that was it... Atleast that election was just a little more honest.