The Year In Review - Political Forum

CHUQ · 12-23-2006, 07:04 AM

For those who believed that the precise and overwhelming demonstration of U.S. military power in Afghanistan and Iran would "shock and awe" the rest of the world – and particularly Washington's foes and aspiring rivals – into accepting its benevolent hegemony, 2006 was not a good year.

Not only has Washington become ever more bogged down – at the current rate of nearly three billion dollars and 20 soldiers' lives a week – in an increasingly fragmented and violent Iraq whose de facto civil war threatens to draw in its neighbors, but a resurgent Taliban has exposed the fragility of what gains have been made in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led military campaign ousted the group five years ago.

A Bad Year for Empire - by Jim Lobe

An interesting point of view. opinions?

Slartibartfas · 12-23-2006, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHUQ

For those who believed that the precise and overwhelming demonstration of U.S. military power in Afghanistan and Iran would "shock and awe" the rest of the world – and particularly Washington's foes and aspiring rivals – into accepting its benevolent hegemony, 2006 was not a good year.

Not only has Washington become ever more bogged down – at the current rate of nearly three billion dollars and 20 soldiers' lives a week – in an increasingly fragmented and violent Iraq whose de facto civil war threatens to draw in its neighbors, but a resurgent Taliban has exposed the fragility of what gains have been made in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led military campaign ousted the group five years ago.

A Bad Year for Empire - by Jim Lobe

Exceptional good article.

The "Empire" shocked and awed in reality itself. Not a good year, but the damn thing about it is that those US hawks do not only harm with that themselves but also the rest of the US and the whole west.

Santa_Claus · 12-23-2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

Exceptional good article.

The "Empire" shocked and awed in reality itself. Not a good year, but the damn thing about it is that those US hawks do not only harm with that themselves but also the rest of the US and the whole west.

I never understood why the US has been called an "empire" when its simply a democratic federation with a couple of regions outside of the mainland and also is nation with immense global influence. I dont think that would be an empire would it? In any case the US still remains more powerful than any empire theyre ever was.

Scribbler1 · 12-23-2006, 12:17 PM

In this case, it's more them attempting to BUILD an empire than actually having one. It's ironic that we seem to be using our influence to create countries we can manipulate at a time when those attempts are weakening that same influence.

CHUQ · 12-24-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santa Claus

I never understood why the US has been called an "empire" when its simply a democratic federation with a couple of regions outside of the mainland and also is nation with immense global influence. I dont think that would be an empire would it? In any case the US still remains more powerful than any empire theyre ever was.

I do not think they are defining "empire" in a classical sense, but instead using some 21st century political-ese.

Brother Oz · 12-24-2006, 01:57 PM

The correct term would be "Hegemon" meaning a powerful state that dominates but does not directly rule a lot of other states.