US Special Forces Deployed in 70% of World's Countries

[Shogun]

standard of living has nothing to do wi th rhis imperialism. This costs thetaxpayer and brings no benefit its largly a wealth transfer lrogram to the mic and an attempt to keep the usa the sole worldpower. Us standard of living would increase if this bs was ended

Control of resources dictates world power status, so they go hand in hand.

 

[Red Shield]

...the rest of the world has been real patient with the US

real patient

but yes that well of patience is running dry and the US is over extended and very weak

it will soon be open season out here

Im ready to see those bodies start dropping are you?
Gunman shoots U.S. consular official leaving Mexican mall

Countries are already pivoting away from the usa


The fall of the American Empire draws ever closer :planned:

 

[David_TheMan]

Control of resources dictates world power status, so they go hand in hand.

IN the past maybe, in a world economy, it doesn't, and again the US isn't in these countries demanding or controlling the resources out right, a lot of them, they are just trying to undermine other nations from getting power or expanding their influence, keeping unipolarity for the US. IMHO

 

[outordinary]

Countries are already pivoting away from the usa


The fall of the American Empire draws ever closer :planned:

No lie, America is about to fall HARD. Things are pointing to it. Hopefully other countries will be ready to take advantage of it. (Looking at you Africa)

 

[newworldafro]

This is what the neo cons dont get...To most third world countries this is what they see...

China sends engineers and merchants..new road ,new Dams,new business...more money,more peace

The US sends spies and commandos..New rebel groups get armed and trained or old dictators get reinforced...more violence,more oppression

give it another couple of years and youll see whose President starts getting a cold reception when they visit those countries.

The increase happened under BHO though.

 

[Shogun]

The increase happened under BHO though.

We're all complicit. Partisan politics makes it easier to sleep because we can just blame the other side.

 

[Jimi Swagger]

This is a byproduct of 9/11 when NATO invoked Article 5 and a trend for all nations in the alliance which will only get worse. Sad times for the Third World and the ongoing war on terror.
Defense budgets climb as NATO countries step up spending

 

[Professor Emeritus]

80% increase since 2010 under President Obama.

Then you have these folks who wonder why there are people who want to kill americans and hate this government.

Shut up man, you know they hate us for our freedoms.

Control of resources dictates world power status, so they go hand in hand.

I'd say we've moved even beyond "control of resources" to "control of laws". World powers need to have access to resources, but even more important is influence over international laws about how goods and money move around and who does what for themselves. They probably care less about who controls the oil than about who might decide to stop drilling oil, less about who drills Africa and Asia's resources than about ensuring that Africa and Asia never become self-sufficient or competitors to America. As long as the powerful companies control international trade laws, the World Bank, the IMF, etc., and ensures that everyone is obeying those institutions and international war isn't disrupting trade activity, they can be assured that their profit advantages will remain open regardless of who technically runs the mines.

IN the past maybe, in a world economy, it doesn't, and again the US isn't in these countries demanding or controlling the resources out right, a lot of them, they are just trying to undermine other nations from getting power or expanding their influence, keeping unipolarity for the US. IMHO

Once you learn how to learn, then you'll see the further connection. Much of our wealth, especially the wealth of the most wealthy, is not built on some sort of utopic free trade global economy but on the manner in which we leverage our power for financial benefit. Take away the manipulation of world financial markets, the intimidation and corruption of foreign governments, and the enormous hidden costs of our industry (some of which is funded by the taxpayer and some of which is visited upon the citizens of other nations), and our corporations would be far less profitable than they are today. I'm not going to argue the point further with you because I've seen you're not ready to take serious arguments seriously yet, but others know it. Our government is not on a useless power trip; it is not so stupid as to be failing to act in the direct interests of its corporate sponsors.



I'm sure you're familiar with the famous George F. Kennan statement heading into the Cold War in Memo PPS23:

Furthermore, we have about 50% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of its population. This disparity is particularly great as between ourselves and the peoples of Asia. In this situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national security. To do so, we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and day-dreaming; and our attention will have to be concentrated everywhere on our immediate national objectives. We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world-benefaction....

In the face of this situation we would be better off to dispense now with a number of the concepts which have underlined our thinking with regard to the Far East. We should dispense with the aspiration to "be liked" or to be regarded as the repository of a high-minded international altruism. We should stop putting ourselves in the position of being our brothers' keeper and refrain from offering moral and ideological advice. We should cease to talk about vague and—for the Far East—unreal objectives such as human rights, the raising of the living standards, and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better.

We should recognize that our influence in the Far Eastern area in the coming period is going to be primarily military and economic. We should make a careful study to see what parts of the Pacific and Far Eastern world are absolutely vital to our security, and we should concentrate our policy on seeing to it that those areas remain in hands which we can control or rely on. It is my own guess, on the basis of such study as we have given the problem so far, that Japan and the Philippines will be found to be the corner-stones of such a Pacific security system and if we can contrive to retain effective control over these areas there can be no serious threat to our security from the East within our time.

 

[David_TheMan]

Once you learn <i>how</i> to learn, then you'll see the further connection. Much of our wealth, especially the wealth of the most wealthy, is not built on some sort of utopic free trade global economy but on the manner in which we leverage our power for financial benefit. Take away the manipulation of world financial markets, the intimidation and corruption of foreign governments, and the enormous hidden costs of our industry (some of which is funded by the taxpayer and some of which is visited upon the citizens of other nations), and our corporations would be far less profitable than they are today. I'm not going to argue the point further with you because I've seen you're not ready to take serious arguments seriously yet, but others know it. Our government is not on a useless power trip; it is not so stupid as to be failing to act in the direct interests of its corporate sponsors.



I'm sure you're familiar with the famous George F. Kennan statement heading into the Cold War in Memo PPS23:

I understand again you have an opinion, that is great. I've stated what my opinion is regarding US placement of troops around the globe.
We disagree and we won't agree and its perfectly fine.
Don't have another meltdown because I don't take your few as fact, it getting old now.

 

[Jimi Swagger]

Germans protest transfer of US forces to Europe

 

[Shogun]

Germans protest transfer of US forces to Europe

I thought they needed us to save them from Russia?

 

[3rdLetter]

The USA is the NYC of the world. We everywhere and people hate our guts.