Reply #27: I think foriegn governments are more pragmatic than that. [View All]

[K-W]

"However, what I referred to is exactly the incremental isolation of the United States that we are seeing today (mentioned a couple of posts up). Countries that were isolated as America's enemies are now forming tacit military and economic alliances openly and brazenly. When these countries find a way to divorce themselves from US dependence, then we will see a ramping up of these tactics."

Certainly, in fact it was just these trends that spawned the new American Imperial Strategy. We can no longer suppress regional development, particularly in Asia and Europe through the old model. This is why the US is now destroying the old model of world order and returning to a more overt style of control.

The UN for instance used to be a tool of US control, but as time passed it became a thorn in the US's side. We went from never vetoing a UN resolution (because we basically controlled the UN) to becomming the veto leader. So now we scorn the UN and go out of our way to prove that it doesnt matter.

"The object is to bring the US to its knees by influencing key commodities and markets and letting the US have enough rope to hang itself economically."

I disagree with that. Taking this tact would alost certainly throw the whole world into military and economic chaos. Other countries dont want the US destroyed or humiliated, they simply want more balance in power. The other powerful nations still have a stake in retaining something close to the current world order, any major upset could lead to a catastrophe like real democracy breaking out or something.

Its like corporations. Even when they are competing, they are still, to a large extent conspiring. It is far more important for all the industrial nations to protect the overall international order (with elite countries and undeveloped countries) than it is to restrict the US. Other nations will try to make moves wherever possible, but thier eventual goal probably does include a very powerful US. Just as the US's goals always included a powerful Europe and Japan. They were so valuable in keeping the international order that we had to tolerate thier economic competition.