America's dreams of empire
Here is a remarkable analysis of American imperial dreams and plans from a
clear-eyed man. Pervez Hoodbhoy, a Pakistani physicist, has been a
courageous and lonely antinuclear activist in a country, now an American
ally in the war against terrorism, whose government hasn't hesitated to wave
and threaten to play the nuclear card while at the very edge of war with
India.
So here we are at what seems to be another "edge" – the edge of what may be
America's first great colonial war since the turn of the nineteenth century,
a war (in the fashion of the European countries that preceded it in the
region) meant to redraw the very map of the Middle East in the course of a
full-scale occupation of the region. Hoodbhoy wants us to know that the
"clash of civilizations," whatever embattled Muslims or emboldened Americans
may think, is so much foolishness; that America's dreams have been longer in
the making, more self-interested, and largely unrelated to any distaste for
Islam. He does, however, see a striking new element in the post-post Cold
War imperial mix: "Now that there is no other superpower to keep it in
check, the U.S. no longer sees a need to battle for the hearts and minds of
those it would dominate." Don't miss his piece, which appeared on the
opinion page of today's Los Angeles Times.
http://www.nationinstitute.org/tomdispatch/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid34
America's dreams of empire
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Type: discussion
Comments
Found poem from:
(no words added, only removed, context altered only slightly, some paragraphs
re-arranged)
The National Security Strategy of the United States of America
http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.html
Freedom and fear are at war,
and there will be no quick
or easy end
to this conflict.
The United States must
and will
maintain the capability
to defeat any attempt
by an enemy
to impose its will
on the United States
Our forces will be strong enough
to dissuade potential adversaries
from pursuing a military build-up
in hopes of surpassing,
or equaling,
the power of the United States.
The United States possesses
unprecedented and unequaled
strength and influence
in the world
this position comes with
unparalleled opportunity
we recognize
that our best defense
is a good offense,
we are also strengthening
America's homeland security
The United States
should be realistic
about its ability
to help those
who are unwilling
or unready
to help themselves
With the collapse of the Soviet Union
and the end of the Cold War,
our security environment
has undergone profound transformation
In the 1990s we witnessed the emergence
of a small number of rogue states
that hate the United States
and everything
for which it stands.
the United States can no longer
solely rely on a reactive posture
as we have in the past
We cannot let our enemies strike first
the United States cannot remain idle
while dangers gather
The reasons for our actions will be clear,
the force measured,
and the cause just
It is time to reaffirm
the essential role
of American military strength.
We must build and maintain our defenses
beyond challenge
This broad portfolio of military capabilities
must also include
the ability to defend the homeland,
conduct information operations,
ensure U.S. access to distant theaters,
and protect critical U.S. infrastructure and assets
in outer space.
And in this new era
The war on terrorism
is not a clash of civilizations
It does reveal the clash
inside a civilization,
a battle for the future
of the Muslim world
This is a struggle of ideas
and this is an area
where America must excel
— "marc.garrett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> America's dreams of empire
>
> Here is a remarkable analysis of American imperial dreams and plans from a
> clear-eyed man. Pervez Hoodbhoy, a Pakistani physicist, has been a
> courageous and lonely antinuclear activist in a country, now an American
> ally in the war against terrorism, whose government hasn't hesitated to
> wave
> and threaten to play the nuclear card while at the very edge of war with
> India.
>
> So here we are at what seems to be another "edge" – the edge of what may
> be
> America's first great colonial war since the turn of the nineteenth
> century,
> a war (in the fashion of the European countries that preceded it in the
> region) meant to redraw the very map of the Middle East in the course of a
> full-scale occupation of the region. Hoodbhoy wants us to know that the
> "clash of civilizations," whatever embattled Muslims or emboldened
> Americans
> may think, is so much foolishness; that America's dreams have been longer
> in
> the making, more self-interested, and largely unrelated to any distaste for
> Islam. He does, however, see a striking new element in the post-post Cold
> War imperial mix: "Now that there is no other superpower to keep it in
> check, the U.S. no longer sees a need to battle for the hearts and minds of
> those it would dominate." Don't miss his piece, which appeared on the
> opinion page of today's Los Angeles Times.
>
> http://www.nationinstitute.org/tomdispatch/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid34
>
>
>
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