Since 9/11 it has become obvious to everyone (but Americans it seems) that, in today's global world, power stems from a nation's economy, not from its arms.
The Asian giants have hordes of workers, with gradually increasing skills, willing
to work under highly disciplined conditions, for modest wages with few benefits
and scant attention to workers rights. These nations have developed close trade
relations with many third world countries which give them access to raw materials at
favorable prices. By strict control of their currencies they are able to under sell
their products to the highly developed Western nations. In the process, and with our connivance they have approprated our industrial base. They are funding and concentrating their education programs to turn out large numbers of skilled high-tech grads for their expanding technology industy.
The U. S. meanwhile has concentrated on being a military power, embroiled in foreign
adventures of dubious value to us. We have set our feet on a path that can only lead
to a decline in our world status and to a second-class economy. For how long will we pretend otherwise?
For us to recover our competitive edge we need careful, informed planning by
the best economists, not rabble rousing congressmen, and an end to selfish class
warfare and partisanship. There is still, but barely time for the rennaisance.
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Yes indeed the great American Empire of the second half of the Twentieth century is on the decline; just as several thousand years ago the Egyptian Empire eventually disappeared.Same with the Greeks and the Romans. Also the Incas, the Mongols and more recently the British with the loss of India and Egypt after WW2 and the French in the sixties with the loss of Algeria.
Sic Gloria Transit Mundi!
We had our place at the top and we lost it on9/11 when people realized for the first time that the big guy was vulnerable on his own territory.
JACQUES
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