All world empires crumble eventually...

[flaminbats]

Look at those which crumbled in the last century..Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Japanese empire, and the USSR. There was Napoleon's Empire, Bismark's Austrian Empire, and the British Empire which all peaked during the 19th century. For 300 years the Qing dynasty dominated the Eastern World. From the 14th century until the 17th century there was the Mogul Empire, stretching from Eastern Europe to India. And who could forget those Romans?

America has lasted so long because it once limited those dangerous ambitions. But starting with the World Wars, the Cold War, and now our with war on terrorism..America has embraced nation building, it has a military that dwarfs the combined strength of all the others on Earth, and it uses the work and resources of subjected cultures to further US power.

When do you think the American Empire will eventually crumble, and what shall replace America as the world's dominate superpower?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. If B*sh is re-selected, the crumbling will be obvious by 2008.

China will be the new superpower. And we will be very screwed for a whole lot of reasons.

[Seldona]

2. Yes, they did.

But I believe a new paradigm has emerged.

None of those failed empires had the ability to crack the planet in half like an egg, wiping out all of humanity.

Will things change for us?

Of course, and not for the better I am afraid.

But I do not think the American Empire is going anyplace any time soon.

In fact with this current group of maniacs in power, it is going to get alot bigger.

[flaminbats]

5. I believe America shall fall eventually..

how we make the transition is still up to us. When Americans are willing to acknowledge we will not always be the world's superpower..the sooner we can push our political leaders to pay down the debt, reduce military spending, and ease our national transition from Empire back to democracy.

Or we could continue to spend our nation into debt, keep our military deployed worldwide, and continue to face economic strains along with the exploding income divide..which may ultimately destroy America.

America shall someday lose its dominating position across the world, but this doesn't mean our nation will collapse entirely as a self-sustaining democracy. Will there be another empire to replace America?..you bet!

What will America's future be in a world dominated by another Empire?

[Maple]

3. I hate to break it to ya

but the American one already has, and there will be no more superpowers.

[bemildred]

4. What do you think has been going on since VietNam?

There will be no replacement.
All the peasants have AK47s these days.