Nikita Khrushchev: We will take Amrica without firing a shot.

There's an old adage,

"Peace and comfort has made you weak or decadent where it has destroyed you."

Then there is another one, "Most nations die from enemies within."

 

Can't remember the details but there was a story about the Athenians who, at the height of their military power, sent envoys to a famous oracle asking if there was anything they had to worry about that could bring Athens down. The oracle sent this single word reply back: "Luxury".

 

Sounds about right.

 

Democrats loved the Soviet Union.

But Russia? Not so much.

 

Thanks; this is to be considered high praise.
There are endless "if only"s, but they are fascinating.

 

They've been saying that for 240 years but it'll be here long after we're both gone.

 

They went from extreme left wing to extreme right wing so quickly that the leftists got whiplash.

 

"We're a very young empire" -- George Friedman.

 

George is unaware that the US is not an empire and never has been..

 

It's not about going right a bit. It's about the world order which was set to be an "internationalist" and "liberal" at the core. Russia does not want that because they think the global order of "internationalist liberal rule of law" would make them an ordinary country with all those resources of the heartland they've been controlling, which they believe if they play smart could render them to get an exceptional position. That is not going to happen in a universe where even America has withdrawn from bunch of theaters all around the world.
Let's also keep in mind the fact that America has been the sole dominant power controlling the 7 seas and more...

 

I think Mr Friedman is an objective geopolitical analyst who's "at least" aware of the fact that the military dominance naturally comes with socioeconomic exploitation, in other words, nation building according to certain political and economic interests. Yes, the US in many ways has been the sole game-setter if you will in the world since 1990 and along with the aforementioned repercussion, it is sufficient to say it is a young empire.

 

I'm not sure that 'Russia' even wants anything. As in Latin America the Russians seem to like their 'strong men' and will go in the direction these guys take them. If they get some glory along the way so much the better, but that's not the usual outcome.

Perhaps America hasn't withdrawn as much as in that they're weaponizing trade and beginning to dominate diplomatically. Wars are now being fought much differently.

What do you think?

 

The U|S iis the Worlds Superpower and has been since WWII but they've not expanded their territories. Their strategy against the USSR (as largely defined by George Kennan) worked reasonably well and was accelerated during the Reagan years. There was no growth in US territories during this time, even immediately following WWII when there were many opportunities. In fact many may have been grateful to have become a US State. The people of many countries would probably prefer that today.

In fact US expansion has increased through the purchase of territory, including the Louisiana Purchase, Florida, The Philippines and Alaska. However Democracy has spread under US influence and I think that's a good thing. But it is still not an Empire

 

If the US was removed as a Superpower there will be many smaller wars of the traditional type until an alliance or two emerged creating another Superpower, much like what occurred during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Of course the Wild Card in all of this is nuclear weapons.

Without the US China would certainly dominate Asia and Europe would be quite poorly defended. The world should be grateful to the United States for maintaining some equilibrium but that's not likely to happen. How do you feel about this?

 

Hopefully you will find a way to curb your fear. It would be a shame to have to go through life this way.

 

I have absolutely no fear, it's all gone. My fears were that he would be elected by foolish people and destroy our country. That happened so that fear is behind me. All that's ahead is hope that he'll be thrown out with the trash within the next year and we'll tolerate idiot Pence for a year until the 2020 election. Then we can start all over if Trump hasn't destroyed everything beyond repair.

But fear is all yours, that's at the heart and soul of the Trumplican party. Control through fear is much more galvanizing than control through hope. But alas, he has just about used up his entire bag of fear-tricks. He'll have to come up with some new boogeymen soon or else he might start to lose the grip he has on the throats of his base.

 

As you pointed out today the wars are being waged in different ways, tho the reasons for (geopolitical) are pretty much the same with the previous political era (Cold war). Similarly, today's definition of being an empire is not the same as it was back in Napoleon's epoch. Today we got league of nations as the world order. After the settlement of (post WWI) it we no longer have empires in the means of prewar (actually even before the immediate prewar order) definition but of the new terms: geopolitical influence to control/redesign overall administrative powers of target countries. Destabilization in those territories controlled by either one of the cold war empires was the most common consequence of the clashes that would often occur. Today the US is the only dominant power that may have absolute control over any country by the said terms. It does this via power projection with its wide range of military capabilities (mostly the high tech navy).
All in all the US is a post cold war empire and there's no power that can challenge it because it not only has incredible abilities to adapt and adopt new means of warfare but it does reflect those abilities right on the field so fast and so accurate. Its got the best problem solvers in the world...

 

Yes, there is no power that can challenge America but why would Russia, China, or any other countries want to do that? Do they want to liberate the American people? Spread their superior ideology? Liberate their own people from American trade and culture?

I think people who are anti American should think this through rather than relying on their feelings and instincts.

 

I'm glad to see some smart questions asked. I want to post a response with full insight aimed to shed light on most probable future scenarios.

 

The US has many characteristics of an empire.
To me, it seems to be equivalent to modern Roman Empire. If it dies, it will leave a long lasting memory, just like Roman Empire did.

 

Perhaps America has a lot more to offer other countries than the other way around. The US is the world's biggest consumer market.

When you're running a big trade deficit, you can do that.
Countries generally do not want to run trade deficits.

 

A great many people want to live in consumer markets, and It seems Donald Trump is doing something about those deficits.

 

It's jingoistic drivel like the above that makes me fear for America.

 

But isn't that just they way things are? We have to have SOME government, don't we? and oligarchy is what most Democracies turn into, (or are from the beginning really.)

Lets be clear on our terms here, what do you think an oligarchy is?

 

How is that jingoist?