The Decline and Fall of the American Empire
POSTED BY: canttakesky
UPDATED: Monday, August 31, 2026 17:58
VIEWED: 3542
PAGE 1 of 5
Just as with a heroin addict, it is not too hard to predict when and how he/she will hit rock bottom.
http://www.thenation.com/article/156851/decline-and-fall-american-empi
re
Quote:
A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don’t bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting.
Despite the aura of omnipotence most empires project, a look at their history should remind us that they are fragile organisms. So delicate is their ecology of power that, when things start to go truly bad, empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.
Future historians are likely to identify the Bush administration’s rash invasion of Iraq in that year as the start of America's downfall. However, instead of the bloodshed that marked the end of so many past empires, with cities burning and civilians slaughtered, this twenty-first century imperial collapse could come relatively quietly through the invisible tendrils of economic collapse or cyberwarfare.
But have no doubt: when Washington's global dominion finally ends, there will be painful daily reminders of what such a loss of power means for Americans in every walk of life. As a half-dozen European nations have discovered, imperial decline tends to have a remarkably demoralizing impact on a society, regularly bringing at least a generation of economic privation. As the economy cools, political temperatures rise, often sparking serious domestic unrest.
Available economic, educational, and military data indicate that, when it comes to US global power, negative trends will aggregate rapidly by 2020 and are likely to reach a critical mass no later than 2030. The American Century, proclaimed so triumphantly at the start of World War II, will be tattered and fading by 2025, its eighth decade, and could be history by 2030.
Significantly, in 2008, the US National Intelligence Council admitted for the first time that America's global power was indeed on a declining trajectory. In one of its periodic futuristic reports, Global Trends 2025, the Council cited “the transfer of global wealth and economic power now under way, roughly from West to East" and "without precedent in modern history,” as the primary factor in the decline of the “United States' relative strength—even in the military realm.” Like many in Washington, however, the Council’s analysts anticipated a very long, very soft landing for American global preeminence, and harbored the hope that somehow the US would long “retain unique military capabilities… to project military power globally” for decades to come.
No such luck. Under current projections, the United States will find itself in second place behind China (already the world's second largest economy) in economic output around 2026, and behind India by 2050. Similarly, Chinese innovation is on a trajectory toward world leadership in applied science and military technology sometime between 2020 and 2030, just as America's current supply of brilliant scientists and engineers retires, without adequate replacement by an ill-educated younger generation.
By 2020, according to current plans, the Pentagon will throw a military Hail Mary pass for a dying empire. It will launch a lethal triple canopy of advanced aerospace robotics that represents Washington's last best hope of retaining global power despite its waning economic influence. By that year, however, China's global network of communications satellites, backed by the world's most powerful supercomputers, will also be fully operational, providing Beijing with an independent platform for tNOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
I tend to agree with that; however, I think it began a whole lot sooner than that. Maybe with the death of JFK, actually; we lost our innocence then, as everyone says, and began to be more cynical about our government. Sure, it took a lot longer for it to be obvious, and it wasn't until after the "hippie generation" that we began to lose things like innovative art, music, etc., but when the seed was actually planted, I think goes back long before Bush. I also agree with the fact that the "crash" will come sooner than 40 years. Don't most empires think their decline will come further in the future than it does? Denial not being just a river in Egypt and all of that.
Future historians are likely to identify the Bush administration’s rash invasion of Iraq in that year as the start of America's downfall. However, instead of the bloodshed that marked the end of so many past empires, with cities burning and civilians slaughtered, this twenty-first century imperial collapse could come relatively quietly through the invisible tendrils of economic collapse or cyberwarfare.
Speaking of whichQuote:
Okay, where are our naysayers who continue to insist that America is the greatest and we're in no danger of decline?
Significantly, in 2008, the US National Intelligence Council admitted for the first time that America's global power was indeed on a declining trajectory. In one of its periodic futuristic reports, Global Trends 2025, the Council cited “the transfer of global wealth and economic power now under way, roughly from West to East" and "without precedent in modern history,” as the primary factor in the decline of the “United States' relative strength—even in the military realm.” Like many in Washington, however, the Council’s analysts anticipated a very long, very soft landing for American global preeminence, and harbored the hope that somehow the US would long “retain unique military capabilities… to project military power globally” for decades to come.
I think I've been awfully lucky to live through what I think were our best times, even if they were the beginning of the end, and I'm not thrilled to see how fast the decline is happening...was hoping I'd be dead before it did. Whether we'll decline before this little blue globe passes the point of no return I don't know, but I'd like not to be here for either, thank you...
Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off 
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
It's almost funny, in a sad way... It turns out that really the only thing "We're Number One!" at, is at yelling "We're Number One!" We definitely are the best at that, and no one can deny it! ;)
As a nation-slash-empire, we're fast falling far behind in almost every key metric. We seem to have this idealistic, idyllic belief that we'll continue to be able to project military supremacy far into the future and far abroad, but neither is based in any fact-based reality. We're starting to seriously talk about cutting military spending, and there's a day coming - sooner rather than later - where we simply won't be able to put multiple carrier battle groups to see and support them. We already can't adequately fight wars on two fronts (look at how AfPak was ignored while we were preoccupied with Iraq, for instance), much less open up a third (Iran) or fourth (Korean Peninsula) and have any kind of effectiveness on any of those fronts.
This Space For Rent!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Read this article several days ago with great interest. As an American, I feel no shame in rooting for America. Devil take the rest of this worthless world. Yet, as an American, I am ashamed of America.
Delighted that rather than confront our "supposed" decline, we're tackling the really important issues. Like whether two swishy dudes can apply a meaningless adjective to themselves ("married"), or whether our president is in truth a socialist mooslim foreigner. For years we've imported 3rd world poverty, exported our industrial strength, and gone on one trivial crusade after another.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I still think there is time to save America. I simply don't believe Americans, as a whole, want to save America. At least, they don't want to save America badly enough to work together to implement the drastic changes necessary for salvation.
The Titanic is heading right be for iceberg. And people are bickering about the direction they should swerve, without actually doing any swerving.
For my part, I've already jumped ship because I have no confidence they will EVER swerve.
Can't Take (my gorram) Sky
------
Everything I say is just my opinion, not fact.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by mincingbeast:
Read this article several days ago with great interest. As an American, I feel no shame in rooting for America. Devil take the rest of this worthless world. Yet, as an American, I am ashamed of America.
Indeed. I *do* root for America, because I've seen the greatness we're capable of. But I'm also not blind to what we've become, either.
When I say that we're number one at shouting that we're number one, I'm not lying. There are actual studies that show this. We rank in the bottom 20% or so of industrialized nations on so many metrics - we suck at math and science, we suck at learning, we suck at DOING things.... yet when asked how we THINK we do at all these things, we're right at the top in thinking we're right at the top! We're not actually GOOD at anything anymore, but we're really good at THINKING we're good at everything! That's the American identity now.
And it seems most of us are really, REALLY good at denying things ever occur.
Quote:
Delighted that rather than confront our "supposed" decline, we're tackling the really important issues. Like whether two swishy dudes can apply a meaningless adjective to themselves ("married"), or whether our president is in truth a socialist mooslim foreigner. For years we've imported 3rd world poverty, exported our industrial strength, and gone on one trivial crusade after another.
C'mon, man - the fate of the world really did hinge on whether or not you could legally burn a flag! Thank Christ we got that important issue worked out.
Oh. Fuck. We never did figure that one out, did we?
Well then, the fate of the universe truly hinges on whether or not it's legal for two dudes or two chicks to get married to each other. Seriously, nothing else even comes close in importance.
By the way, next to my guillotine-sharpening shop, I'm opening up a store selling violins. I'll be up on yonder hill playin' my fiddle and watching it all came apart...
This Space For Rent!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by canttakesky:
The Titanic is heading right be for iceberg. And people are bickering about the direction they should swerve, without actually doing any swerving.
Actually a more appropriate analogy is that they're all arguing whether to speed up or slow down, while ignoring or shouting down anyone who even suggests swerving - remember, I been makin that analogy for what, six years now ?
And despite playing musical chairs up on Capitol Hill, ain't not a goddamn thing worth a note has really changed...
ETA: Ah, but are they senseless violins, Mikey ?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SenselessViolins
And might I interest you in a line of pitchforks and torches at wholesale rates, or perhaps a distributorship - it's all about the franchise, you know...
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:Yes, more accurate. Thank you.
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Actually a more appropriate analogy is that they're all arguing whether to speed up or slow down, while ignoring or shouting down anyone who even suggests swerving - remember, I been makin that analogy for what, six years now ?
Can't Take (my gorram) Sky
------
Everything I say is just my opinion, not fact.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
ETA: Ah, but are they senseless violins, Mikey ?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SenselessViolins
And might I interest you in a line of pitchforks and torches at wholesale rates, or perhaps a distributorship - it's all about the franchise, you know...
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
Nah, they're more like Psycho Strings...
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PsychoStrings
I'm thinkin' we may have to join forces and open up a Mayhem Mini-Mall. Pitchforks-N-Torches, Tar-N-Feathers, Just a Little Off the Top Guillotine Sharpening, and of course, a VillainSource outlet!
At the rate things are going, we'll be able to expand to every city in the country in the next couple years...
This Space For Rent!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
America is a pawn of the NWO, not an independent entity. We have devoted all of our energies towards being the hired gun of the NWO which started as soon as they took over our economy in 1913.
Immediately, we began slaughtering all independent nations in WWI and WWII, and after that, it became perpetual war. Once countries are under NWO control, they start slaughtering the populous and crushing the rights of the people.
We are a mercenary army, and the only hope for us is to encourage us to fail as quickly and as resoundingly as possible so that a new america with a new independent currency can be created. No resource or human management, nor any form of governance or law should be tolerated any more than our own deaths should be tolerated. Without liberty, there will be no life. Your masters plan to kill you all, if you do not see that, your a sheep for the slaughter, or a collaborating jackboot. If this sounds harsh, that's life. It took me a while before the crazies convinced me of this, now I just know that we have to keep on the message and keep straight the arguments, away from speculation,and towards specifics, until the people wake up and defend themselves.
Until then , we are just a frog on slow boil.
Also, I want people to wake up to this:
The ruling elite TOLD us that currency makes laws, and that those who make currency own it, not the rich, the banks. Why it doesn't sink in to so many when they frickin' told us straight out boggles the mind.
That in mind, everyone be on the lookout for others: the EURO consortium is the new FED, and the euro is imperialism. Figure that the member banks of the euro do not share equal issuing power, and that like the fed, some small group probably holds 90% of the issuing power.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME