Many of the long time readers here would tell you, OH Landru will debate the value of hope forever unyielding in his stupidity. Now I agree, however, is accelerationism is my path? I would love to see all those that I challenged show up on this comment and reply with I TOLD YOU SO, MORON
Well.. This Pseudo "Democracy" gives ppl the illusion of choice/control...
That's why they keep clinging to it..
***
"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion." At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."
I was a fool not realizing that at the start. Hope is a flaw in my character and sense of intelligence. Now where did I leave my big red rubber nose..........
US-based business corporations want to be free to exploit the material and labor resources of the entire world.
Consider the history of oligarchs of the British Empire and those of a long list of collapsed empires of the Ottomans, Russia, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Rome, etc.
Japan is doomed, debt, aging pop, currency that is trashier than u.s. d. Korea it seems is waking up to who has their boot on their collective necks. Interesting as you say.
Japan has been occupied by the U.S. since the end of WW2. The Bigger and stronger Corp acquired the smaller one. Japan's ruling Uniparty called LDP ("liberal democracy party") was formed by the U.S. from coalition of war criminals, corporate bosses, yakuza gangsters and religious extremists (look up "Nippon Kaigi").
BTW Japan has 15 U.S. military bases on its territory.
What we are seeing is the United States is dropping any remaining pretense of being anything other than an empire ruled at home and abroad by naked force.
What do you mean "come back to haunt us," it already is..........
What the USA has been doing, not just under Trump, but most every President since Kennedy, is the use of force rather than diplomacy to create positive outcomes for all. Right. The term "for the greater good" is just a phony slogan people use to rationalize their aggression, deceit, and greed and the need to exert power over others to force them to embrace a fantasy ideology under the guise of "muh Democracy" which is a farce.
The question is who exactly will it haunt? The US government/mega corporate war and surveillance empire/cartel who can move about to one of their 2nd, 3rd or 4th homes/fortresses around the world? Or We the People?
Many years ago on CBS 60 Minutes, Madeine Albright was asked if the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children (via economic sanctions) were worth the cost (the death by starvation of children) and she answered: "YES!" God bless the good ole USofA!
John, I am unable at the moment to elaborate but I will tomorrow as I have a very long day ahead of me today, Saturday. Also, I need to think about a proper response which will give my insight to American (US) history which never really existed except in a fantasy!
Thank you. Care to explain why a dual Israeli citizen is thought to speak on behalf of all Americans when in reality she is speaking for Israel while pretending allegiance to USA? She was speaking on behalf of a few, mainly the Democratic and Republican politicians while expressing her own evil ideology. Take a peek at polling data and you will find Americans overwhelmingly reject empire/nation building and war.
I recall many Geopolitical authorities referring to the USoA as the "reluctant empire" which, in my view was accurate. The reluctant has been deleted by the influence of Zionist money who has hijacked the foreign policy of the USoA to do their bidding. Painting the entire USoA with a broad brush as a willing imperialist is not insinuate a nuanced view. It seems more like expressing anger at the inability to control events you or I may not like.
"I recall many Geopolitical authorities referring to the USoA as the "reluctant empire" which, in my view was accurate. The reluctant has been deleted by the influence of Zionist money who has hijacked the foreign policy of the USoA to do their bidding." Pure nonsense!
I never said she was speaking for all Americans; she was speaking for the American Government and its foreign policy. And if you do not understand, well, there's nothing I can say or do to convince you otherwise. Perhaps you might read David Vine's 'The United States of WAR: A Global History of America's Endless Conflicts, From Columbus to the Islamic State' I can recommend a long list of books you should read (well documented) in order to understand the American way of doing business in the world, and again, that's the American Government but not necessarily the American People, you know: WE THE PEOPLE!
There is no political party in the United States that opposes regime change. If anything, the Democrats chastised Trump for not doing enough in Venezuela. The regime change business can go unchecked as long as Trump informs Congress.
There are not two political parties in the United States. There is one power system—the Uni-Party—with two branded branches, Red and Blue. They do not compete over who rules; they compete over who manages the story while the same interests govern. The administrative state persists. Corporate power persists. War, debt, surveillance, and regulatory capture persist regardless of which color occupies the podium. The appearance of choice exists to keep the public divided horizontally so it never organizes vertically. Voters are encouraged to fight one another over culture, symbols, and moral posturing while the machinery above them operates untouched. Elections do not threaten the system; they legitimize it.
Tytler’s warning still applies, but the mechanism has evolved. The public no longer selects leaders in order to raid the treasury; the treasury is already pre-raided. Corporations and permanent institutions pre-screen candidates, fund the viable ones, and define the narrow corridor of acceptable policy. What voters are given is not a choice but a menu. Crumbs still fall, and that is how control is maintained—contracts, subsidies, grants, regulatory favors, NGO money, revolving-door employment. Loyalty is rewarded; dissent is starved. The structure replicates downward, from federal to local politics, with smaller tables offering smaller crumbs to those who play along.
This is not tyranny and it is not self-government. It is a managed democracy—stable enough to endure, corrupt enough to decay, and theatrical enough to convince the public it is still in charge.
“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
Vidal arrived at essentially the same conclusion I did. I just got there without the insults and tribal smearing.
What he adds is theatrics—useful theatrics—meant to push people deeper into the very binary he describes. All illusion. All designed to keep us choosing between the two sides he defines.
It serves the Uni-Party perfectly for “Democrats” to call “Republicans” stupid racists, and for “Republicans” to frame “Democrats” as corrupt socialists. The mutual contempt is the mechanism.
While the crowd fights over labels, the real power stays quietly at the controls.
Thank you Sir. I understand the instinct to call this fascism, but the term has stretched so much that I’m not sure it clarifies the problem anymore. The structure we’re looking at in the USA seems inverted compared to historical fascism, and I think precision matters if we want to understand what’s actually happening. What we’re experiencing today looks much closer to textbook corporatism.
The absolute truth from Caitlin: "The US empire is the single most tyrannical and murderous power structure on this planet. If any regime is in need of changing, it’s that one".
Yes, together with their neoliberal capitalism, their oligarchs, their greedy, corrupt, obscene, ruling class, their supremacist ideology. The time has come for the people to rise up and put a stop to this monstrous evil, to get rid of this filth.
My heart is surely going to break ( not that my heart matters - this is for the Cuban people ), the day they 'touch' Cuba.
Yes, during the Obummer slight removal of Cuban sanctions, I was traveling to work in Chile so we decided to meet in Cuba, I purchased tickets for two friends, one Chilean and one Guatemalan and fly to Chile together. Then of course insanity returned, NOPE didn't happen. Obummer my greatest failure of hope and a Nobel Peace Prize winner : (
So, you are hoping the majority of the American people who are generous, peaceful, and empathetic to the plight of other nations should fall to your level?
The military has old weapons where will be the money to make more?
IF and when Japan sells it's Bonds (like many in the world are doing) there will be an almighty crash. This crash will also cause economic doom in other countries.
When a Country lies all the time why should others buy American debt OR sign any agreements with other nations.
The empire is doing just dandy and will continue to do so, as long as the elite are united. Romanticist fantasies aside, revolutions do not happen because the 99% overthrow the 1%, because the 1% have control over the levers of power and will do whatever it takes to hang onto power.
Revolutions only happen when the 1% are disunited, whether as a result of foreign threat or an inability to divvy up the spoils in a way that keeps enough elites on-side and disgruntled elite factions start casting about for allies. (Les Miz happy horseshit notwithstanding, the French Revolution is a classic case of the latter, with the non-titled middle class wanting a seat at the table.)
To a certain extent I agree with you Feral: The only people who can save the US are the Elites...........but from what I have hard they are leaving in droves.
Now tell me please: How will the US make more weapons without 'earth minerals' which have to be sent to China to separate them because the US does not know how?
There are still a lot of empires and other nations to catch up to in tyranny, and murderous power structure, CK. This version of the USA is not that old. The vast majority of the American people are quite peaceful, generous, and once were very happy. The implications of the intense lobbying by agents of Israel spreading their unique form of Tikkun Olam has altered the character of this country to the worse.
"The vast majority of the American people WERE quite peaceful = getting everything they wanted without recognizing the effect on the people of other countries!
Why were the people happy? You tell me? Meanwhile Israel was infiltrating your Country. Did you Americans actually hear what was going on in Politics. NO.
You are now the USA of Israel because of your greed.
"getting everything they wanted without recognizing the effect on the people of other countries!" That's absurd.
Tell me why you are so unhappy? It wasn't Israel, it was Zionism and they have insinuated themselves into many countries and civilizations. I can only speak for myself, and yes, I have been paying attention. What have you been doing besides complaining, and casting aspersions on others from a keyboard? What are you efforts to improve your own life and the country that allows you within their borders?
How does the greed of a few become a justification to accuse all to such slander?
Total israeli control of USA regimes and population has corrupted it to the core. If the USA does not get rid of zionist control it will end very badly. Individual people may be peaceful, emphatic, and generous but that alone is not enough. The cancer of jewish zionism and supremacy will kill the host unless stopped. Iran Cuba, China, RF, etc. are not enemies of USA. shitsrael is.
To put it Bluntly ,America and Israel are both a Racist White Supremacist State, and Jewish Supremacist who really don't like non Whites ,or decent Spiritually connected White People with ,Moral and a Conscience. These two States think the world belongs to them and them alone Hence we have people like Churchill with his Mentality. Their Arrogance is so Supreme they actually believe and act like they are God ,Drunk and overdosed on their Military Might, Influence ,and control ,they think Might makes right and the ,reason they act like they do.
Winston CHURCHILL::
*I do not apologize for take over of the region by the Jews from the Palestinians, in the same way I don't apologize for the Whites taking over America from the Red Indians, or the takeover of Australia from the Blacks.
Its natural for a superior race to Dominate and Inferior one.
I wanted to apologize to you and many for debating the path forward for the world. I was ignorant and a Moron for thinking there is hope with any current world gov. or so called champions. Sadly for young people, the only think I expect now is continued acceleration to what ever bottomless drop happens to wake working people up. The General Strike is interesting, I joined it, Fuck work, Fuck purchasing anything today anyway. I thought you might enjoy my participation : ) Fuck Genocide, Fuck ICE. We are all Palestinian. I am not worthy of kissing the foot of any Palestinian, however I will fight : )
Good job Landru. And please stop berating yourself, you don’t deserve it.
I came to the conclusion many years ago that violent overthrow is the only solution, after voting for many individuals who could have effectively run this country but were largely ignored because they didn’t have D or R after their names on the ballot.
Ralph Nader, whose entire existence revolved around the safety of the American people.
Ross Perot, who spoke of the “giant sucking sound” at the border should NAFTA be initiated. My husband’s last job at GM was disassembling dies to send to Mexico.
Thank you my friend. I do apologize however the debate was civil and fun though. : ) Thankfully you didn't listen to me ha. I am searching my memory for people I converted to hope with the existing system ha.
I made some serious cash betting Ron Paul would get 19% of the vote. Whew just made that at a time when the Ex-wife would have killed me for losing that much money ha. Jill I worked for and voted for even though it didn't count not being on the ballot. Ralph, great man from the moment I heard his name with the corvair. Later I did the math to see if that center of mass would roll over with the right angle ha. Ralph was right : )
I still have my .22 rifle from when I was 10 riding my bike with it over my shoulder walking in to the hardware store to buy a box of bullets. I could never afford the long rifles for that smooth load and eject from the pump action. : )
It's Rubio and his Floridian Cubans who want to bring back the glory days, even while Trump and Miller are hunting and hounding brown and black skins in the America. We need Trump and his crew in prison before they start wars on 2 fronts - Civil War and WWIII. But it might be too late
If Trump indeed launches the strike on Iran that he is threatening, this war will be unlike any other that the U.S. has engaged in for the last eighty years.
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As Deaglan O'Mulroonery pointed out in a related article, Iran has been preparing for decades to resist this long anticipated assault by the United States. The damage that Iran will ready to inflict on American military bases in West Asia will be instant and catastrophic.
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Of all the wars that the U.S. exported to the world in the last eight decades – Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Ukraine, and all the rest – none of them entailed a consequence like this.
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What presently remains of America’s capacity to project power onto the world is concentrated most forcefully within the many military bases it has sequestered through the dictatorial regimes it either controls or influences or intimidates within that region which Israel fantasizes about as the object of its Greater Israel expansion project -- what the West has long referred to as the Middle East.
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The moment that Trump initiates a miliary strike on Iran from his assembled fleet in the Gulf region, Iran will launch its promised retaliation against all those regional U.S. military bases, and against the dictatorial regimes so beloved by the American Empire.
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And the U.S. will not be able to intercept those strikes. The distance between target and launch is simply too close, and the Iranian missiles will be moving too fast. They won't be able to stop all of them. I think it is even highly likely that they won't succeed in stopping very many of them.
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The same surely holds true for the U.S. fleet. If Trump imagines that his fleet will be impervious to strikes by Iranian missiles, he is dreaming. There will be strikes on the fleet. Those strikes will be effective and will cause profound damage.
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I don’t perceive any outcome from such a misguided decision as an assault on Iran, in which the projection of American power into West Asia will not be shattered overnight.
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Trump is probably just attempting to consolidate fascistic power home by launching a war abroad, but he is just as likely to bring the walls of the Empire crumbling down around him.
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And if the projection of American power into West Asia collapses under Iranian assault, that will be the end of the U.S. pet dictatorships in the region. And Israel may no longer be call on their favorite “Uncle” to bail them out from the consequences that will ensue.
Just so, Jenny Stokes, and thank you for catching my omission. Yes, absolutely. Iran has promised to shut down the Straits of Hormuz if the U.S. attacks them. And they will do it. And, if and when they do, global commerce as we know it will grind to a halt.
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And Trump's delusional fantasies of replacing the oil from West Asia with oil from Venezuela will be clobbered on the head. Even now that Venezuela's new head of state has capitulated to Trump's threats of violence against them, and has agreed to admit the U.S. Empire's Resource Extraction Pirates into their country to get at the oil, they cannot possibly bring up levels of oil production from that region fast enough to replace anything like the volume they will lose from West Asia.
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Trump's usual practice of "move fast and break everything around you" is really going to work this time. He will end breaking up the U.S. Empire about 10-20 years than it would otherwise have done. How about that?
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Mind you, this could well be why he and Hegseth are now holding conferences talking about -- rather sending missiles towards Iran -- sending teams of U.S. soldiers into Iran on the ground.
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That also will a losing scenario, though. Iran is a vast country. It is the size of Europe, and it is extremely challenging territory to contend -- especially for troops coming out of the Anglosphere and the Global North. There is no way they are not going to get hammered by the Republican Guards of Iran.
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And the body bags start coming home to the U.S., Trump and his gang will have to face increased fury from the citizens at home: they don't want this war.
With regard to 'body bags.' I see that the US is bringing some of these people home. God forbid any Americans get killed!
I am coming to the conclusion that Trump will do a TACO on this war which will infuriate Israel. BUT: Israel owns the US so I am an observer on the sidelines.
II could go on about the American people but I do live in Europe and it's NOT dissimilar.
Jenny, I have the same intimation about Trump doing a TACO, and executing a U-turn away from his clownish militaristic posturing towards Iran.
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I hope to goodness we are both right. Certainly, if Trump has any people of influence around him who still have at least two functioning brain cells that can talk to each other, then, they should be able to figure out that a missile attack on Iran is sheer lunacy.
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Possibly even Satan's own personal representative here on Earth – Bibi Netanyahu – will be able to comprehend that if the Israeli-American Empire goes full ballistic missile on Iran today, then tomorrow will herald the end of the Israeli murder regime
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(… and probably the end of the American Empire itself, but what does Bibi care about that? He will use them up if he can. It’s nothing to him. If it means the end of the crime family of Israel, however, that’s another matter).
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And you share with Americans that you are living under the heel of the Israeli-Empire. Are your elected pols are selected and installed by them. That is why they are so hellishly subservient to their lords and masters.
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So, I, for one, think that gives you a right to speak your mind on the actions of the American Empire, and those who endorse its actions.
All that is presented sounds just about right, except for one thing… The identity of the perpetrator is indeed the U.S. , all that is missing is the final letters to the title holder… ‘Of Israel’… as in.. The United States of Israel. Otherwise, all’s well with the narrative.
Yes indeed… a copy of that flag should be sent to the U.S. political brass. In their favour, I would guess that even though Money is the driving force of the empire, that the fear factor is a pretty close second.
We see these evil things generated by a clearly Malignant Narcissist who is well into Dementia and yet I am shocked. What is the supposed opposition party the Demoncrats the only word for them. When hope is crushed by the people who are supposed to be your champions, Obummer comes to mind do nothing but hand wave, like voting to give ICE more funding than requested creating a budget larger than all local and state police combined. What should we think, I know what I think, WE are ALL Palestinian now. ALL OF US.
The drumbeat for war against Iran is being sounded, not only by the Monster-in-Chief, but also, by supposedly leftist papers like The Guardian.... and worse:
For the last month, during which the CIA, the Mossad and MI6 have been conducting their insidious False Flag operation with Iran, attempting to foment an insurrection by reportedly burning down hundreds of Mosques and Fire Stations and Ambulances, and assassinating over a thousand police officers {shades of exploding pagers?}, Democracy Now, and Amy Goodman – who claim to be progressives – to my everlasting horror, have insisted on reporting these events by repeating the Empire’s propaganda that it is the State of Iran that is propagating the violence against their own people, rather than the Empire that is assaulting Iran and its people.
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The U.S. assaulted Iran, first by economic sanctions that provoked what were indeed initially peaceful portests (that the State of Iran allowed to proceed peacefully), then by infiltrating the peaceful protests with agent provovateurs, with guns bombs to assassinate Iranian police officers and Iranian citizens, and destroy the mosques, fire stations and ambulances; and now by bring waring to their doorstep.
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That Democracy Now is presenting as "news" the bullshit claim that the Iranian authorities are the killers and aggressors in Iran is a travesty.
Fools in a paradise of their own making they are trying to win back the empire by what ever means available. This is the catharsis of demented rage before the final collapse.
Instead of being so concerned about other countries’ regime perhaps they should be pushing for regime change in their own. America first, remember?
"America First!" was ever always only a marketing slogan.
Nothing more.
It may be a marketing slogan but its efficacy lies in the deeply held American belief in their ‘exceptionalism’.
Which is based on... what? The constitution that they routinely ignore?
Which is based on false narratives and myths. It's all about telling people a story and making them believe it.
The orange clown just omitted the quiet part, which is the "Great America" actually means it owns the entire planet..
***
MIGA - Make Imperialism Great Again!
youtube.com/watch?v=H_1WIksJJ8Q
Many of the long time readers here would tell you, OH Landru will debate the value of hope forever unyielding in his stupidity. Now I agree, however, is accelerationism is my path? I would love to see all those that I challenged show up on this comment and reply with I TOLD YOU SO, MORON
Well.. This Pseudo "Democracy" gives ppl the illusion of choice/control...
That's why they keep clinging to it..
***
"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion." At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."
-Frank Zappa
***
G. Carlin explains the illusion of Choice:
youtube.com/shorts/zpEa5WS4kmc
I was a fool not realizing that at the start. Hope is a flaw in my character and sense of intelligence. Now where did I leave my big red rubber nose..........
ANY POTUS is a puppet to the MIC/CIA's Imperialist Deep State.. It's all just a kabuki theater..
***
I mean, eventually you guys will have to admit that's not about a person, it's about the system. And POTUS is just a figurehead.
***
Pseudo "Democracy": The House always wins, but you keep gambling because each bet FEELS like your choice:
youtube.com/watch?v=maiezdDneek
Make the link "hot", already!
US-based business corporations want to be free to exploit the material and labor resources of the entire world.
Consider the history of oligarchs of the British Empire and those of a long list of collapsed empires of the Ottomans, Russia, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Rome, etc.
Keep watching China, India, Korea and Japan.
Japan is doomed, debt, aging pop, currency that is trashier than u.s. d. Korea it seems is waking up to who has their boot on their collective necks. Interesting as you say.
Japan has been occupied by the U.S. since the end of WW2. The Bigger and stronger Corp acquired the smaller one. Japan's ruling Uniparty called LDP ("liberal democracy party") was formed by the U.S. from coalition of war criminals, corporate bosses, yakuza gangsters and religious extremists (look up "Nippon Kaigi").
BTW Japan has 15 U.S. military bases on its territory.
***
youtube.com/watch?v=5WWJ3EOmPkY
youtube.com/watch?v=pYDb0AMpfHc
Japan was captured and subjugated by the American Empire after WWII.
If Japan becomes allied with China and Korea, its fortune may change.
‘America First’ …?
Nope… ‘Money First’…
😱😆
Yes. They do it because they can.
What we are seeing is the United States is dropping any remaining pretense of being anything other than an empire ruled at home and abroad by naked force.
This will come back to haunt the US exactly like it has in Europe and UK.
What do you mean "come back to haunt us," it already is..........
What the USA has been doing, not just under Trump, but most every President since Kennedy, is the use of force rather than diplomacy to create positive outcomes for all. Right. The term "for the greater good" is just a phony slogan people use to rationalize their aggression, deceit, and greed and the need to exert power over others to force them to embrace a fantasy ideology under the guise of "muh Democracy" which is a farce.
imo, it's not the 'usa' though, and it's not 'to create positive outcomes for all'.
I agree, it's not the USoA, it's the Uni-party political class acting on the influence and direction of their handlers.
The question is who exactly will it haunt? The US government/mega corporate war and surveillance empire/cartel who can move about to one of their 2nd, 3rd or 4th homes/fortresses around the world? Or We the People?
And likely much faster.
Bertolt Brecht said, "Do not rejoice too much that Hitler is dead and gone because the bitch who bore him is in heat again."
Good one!
Many years ago on CBS 60 Minutes, Madeine Albright was asked if the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children (via economic sanctions) were worth the cost (the death by starvation of children) and she answered: "YES!" God bless the good ole USofA!
The USofA ended a long time ago… and is now and has been the USofI.
John, the USofA never was!
Mark,
“The USofA never was. “
Please elaborate…
John, I am unable at the moment to elaborate but I will tomorrow as I have a very long day ahead of me today, Saturday. Also, I need to think about a proper response which will give my insight to American (US) history which never really existed except in a fantasy!
That's not the USA speaking that's a dual citizen Israeli Zionist speaking. May she rest in turmoil and fear.
Sorry Cosmo (good name by the way) that is the USofA SPEAKING loud and clear: EMPIRE!
Thank you. Care to explain why a dual Israeli citizen is thought to speak on behalf of all Americans when in reality she is speaking for Israel while pretending allegiance to USA? She was speaking on behalf of a few, mainly the Democratic and Republican politicians while expressing her own evil ideology. Take a peek at polling data and you will find Americans overwhelmingly reject empire/nation building and war.
I recall many Geopolitical authorities referring to the USoA as the "reluctant empire" which, in my view was accurate. The reluctant has been deleted by the influence of Zionist money who has hijacked the foreign policy of the USoA to do their bidding. Painting the entire USoA with a broad brush as a willing imperialist is not insinuate a nuanced view. It seems more like expressing anger at the inability to control events you or I may not like.
"I recall many Geopolitical authorities referring to the USoA as the "reluctant empire" which, in my view was accurate. The reluctant has been deleted by the influence of Zionist money who has hijacked the foreign policy of the USoA to do their bidding." Pure nonsense!
I never said she was speaking for all Americans; she was speaking for the American Government and its foreign policy. And if you do not understand, well, there's nothing I can say or do to convince you otherwise. Perhaps you might read David Vine's 'The United States of WAR: A Global History of America's Endless Conflicts, From Columbus to the Islamic State' I can recommend a long list of books you should read (well documented) in order to understand the American way of doing business in the world, and again, that's the American Government but not necessarily the American People, you know: WE THE PEOPLE!
There is no political party in the United States that opposes regime change. If anything, the Democrats chastised Trump for not doing enough in Venezuela. The regime change business can go unchecked as long as Trump informs Congress.
There are not two political parties in the United States. There is one power system—the Uni-Party—with two branded branches, Red and Blue. They do not compete over who rules; they compete over who manages the story while the same interests govern. The administrative state persists. Corporate power persists. War, debt, surveillance, and regulatory capture persist regardless of which color occupies the podium. The appearance of choice exists to keep the public divided horizontally so it never organizes vertically. Voters are encouraged to fight one another over culture, symbols, and moral posturing while the machinery above them operates untouched. Elections do not threaten the system; they legitimize it.
Tytler’s warning still applies, but the mechanism has evolved. The public no longer selects leaders in order to raid the treasury; the treasury is already pre-raided. Corporations and permanent institutions pre-screen candidates, fund the viable ones, and define the narrow corridor of acceptable policy. What voters are given is not a choice but a menu. Crumbs still fall, and that is how control is maintained—contracts, subsidies, grants, regulatory favors, NGO money, revolving-door employment. Loyalty is rewarded; dissent is starved. The structure replicates downward, from federal to local politics, with smaller tables offering smaller crumbs to those who play along.
This is not tyranny and it is not self-government. It is a managed democracy—stable enough to endure, corrupt enough to decay, and theatrical enough to convince the public it is still in charge.
“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
- Gore Vidal
Vidal arrived at essentially the same conclusion I did. I just got there without the insults and tribal smearing.
What he adds is theatrics—useful theatrics—meant to push people deeper into the very binary he describes. All illusion. All designed to keep us choosing between the two sides he defines.
It serves the Uni-Party perfectly for “Democrats” to call “Republicans” stupid racists, and for “Republicans” to frame “Democrats” as corrupt socialists. The mutual contempt is the mechanism.
While the crowd fights over labels, the real power stays quietly at the controls.
So true
Excellent statement, Michael. I call it the Fascist Confederacy of America.
Thank you Sir. I understand the instinct to call this fascism, but the term has stretched so much that I’m not sure it clarifies the problem anymore. The structure we’re looking at in the USA seems inverted compared to historical fascism, and I think precision matters if we want to understand what’s actually happening. What we’re experiencing today looks much closer to textbook corporatism.
I agree, but the ICE violence/racism/electoral fixing lend it the brute fascistic touch.
The absolute truth from Caitlin: "The US empire is the single most tyrannical and murderous power structure on this planet. If any regime is in need of changing, it’s that one".
Yes, together with their neoliberal capitalism, their oligarchs, their greedy, corrupt, obscene, ruling class, their supremacist ideology. The time has come for the people to rise up and put a stop to this monstrous evil, to get rid of this filth.
My heart is surely going to break ( not that my heart matters - this is for the Cuban people ), the day they 'touch' Cuba.
Yes, during the Obummer slight removal of Cuban sanctions, I was traveling to work in Chile so we decided to meet in Cuba, I purchased tickets for two friends, one Chilean and one Guatemalan and fly to Chile together. Then of course insanity returned, NOPE didn't happen. Obummer my greatest failure of hope and a Nobel Peace Prize winner : (
“The US empire is the single most tyrannical and murderous power structure on this planet. If any regime is in need of changing, it’s that one.”
How much longer will the US Empire endure?
Long enough to cause maximum damage on its way down
So, you are hoping the majority of the American people who are generous, peaceful, and empathetic to the plight of other nations should fall to your level?
The dollar is crashing.
The military has old weapons where will be the money to make more?
IF and when Japan sells it's Bonds (like many in the world are doing) there will be an almighty crash. This crash will also cause economic doom in other countries.
When a Country lies all the time why should others buy American debt OR sign any agreements with other nations.
The empire is doing just dandy and will continue to do so, as long as the elite are united. Romanticist fantasies aside, revolutions do not happen because the 99% overthrow the 1%, because the 1% have control over the levers of power and will do whatever it takes to hang onto power.
Revolutions only happen when the 1% are disunited, whether as a result of foreign threat or an inability to divvy up the spoils in a way that keeps enough elites on-side and disgruntled elite factions start casting about for allies. (Les Miz happy horseshit notwithstanding, the French Revolution is a classic case of the latter, with the non-titled middle class wanting a seat at the table.)
Previous empires, throughput recorded history, have failed.
https://ia600306.us.archive.org/31/items/durant-will-the-lessons-of-history_202012/Durant%20Will%20-%20The%20Lessons%20of%20History.pdf
The American Empire has not demonstrated that it is immune to collapse.
Nobody said otherwise. The question is "when" and "why"?
Very soon if Japan decides to get rid of their US Treasury bonds.
To a certain extent I agree with you Feral: The only people who can save the US are the Elites...........but from what I have hard they are leaving in droves.
Now tell me please: How will the US make more weapons without 'earth minerals' which have to be sent to China to separate them because the US does not know how?
There are still a lot of empires and other nations to catch up to in tyranny, and murderous power structure, CK. This version of the USA is not that old. The vast majority of the American people are quite peaceful, generous, and once were very happy. The implications of the intense lobbying by agents of Israel spreading their unique form of Tikkun Olam has altered the character of this country to the worse.
Cosmo...........
"The vast majority of the American people WERE quite peaceful = getting everything they wanted without recognizing the effect on the people of other countries!
Why were the people happy? You tell me? Meanwhile Israel was infiltrating your Country. Did you Americans actually hear what was going on in Politics. NO.
You are now the USA of Israel because of your greed.
Still are.......
"getting everything they wanted without recognizing the effect on the people of other countries!" That's absurd.
Tell me why you are so unhappy? It wasn't Israel, it was Zionism and they have insinuated themselves into many countries and civilizations. I can only speak for myself, and yes, I have been paying attention. What have you been doing besides complaining, and casting aspersions on others from a keyboard? What are you efforts to improve your own life and the country that allows you within their borders?
How does the greed of a few become a justification to accuse all to such slander?
I lived in the GREAT USA for approximately 25yrs.
Education was shit for my daughter.
80% of the people went to the Mall for fun and shopping.
Garages FILLED with electronic goods which were slightly outdated.
Oh and then there were the Dens: stinking of beer/multitudes of games the fat American Dad sitting their befuddled and dumb.
Did you ever think what YOU were doing to other countries? NO. As long as you could buy.
Don't mess with me.
Not one person I met out of my Canyon even knew Geography!
Total israeli control of USA regimes and population has corrupted it to the core. If the USA does not get rid of zionist control it will end very badly. Individual people may be peaceful, emphatic, and generous but that alone is not enough. The cancer of jewish zionism and supremacy will kill the host unless stopped. Iran Cuba, China, RF, etc. are not enemies of USA. shitsrael is.
To put it Bluntly ,America and Israel are both a Racist White Supremacist State, and Jewish Supremacist who really don't like non Whites ,or decent Spiritually connected White People with ,Moral and a Conscience. These two States think the world belongs to them and them alone Hence we have people like Churchill with his Mentality. Their Arrogance is so Supreme they actually believe and act like they are God ,Drunk and overdosed on their Military Might, Influence ,and control ,they think Might makes right and the ,reason they act like they do.
Winston CHURCHILL::
*I do not apologize for take over of the region by the Jews from the Palestinians, in the same way I don't apologize for the Whites taking over America from the Red Indians, or the takeover of Australia from the Blacks.
Its natural for a superior race to Dominate and Inferior one.
Hi Antonio
Literally drunk in Churchill’s case.
And he continues to be hailed as some kind of hero! 😂
I wanted to apologize to you and many for debating the path forward for the world. I was ignorant and a Moron for thinking there is hope with any current world gov. or so called champions. Sadly for young people, the only think I expect now is continued acceleration to what ever bottomless drop happens to wake working people up. The General Strike is interesting, I joined it, Fuck work, Fuck purchasing anything today anyway. I thought you might enjoy my participation : ) Fuck Genocide, Fuck ICE. We are all Palestinian. I am not worthy of kissing the foot of any Palestinian, however I will fight : )
Good job Landru. And please stop berating yourself, you don’t deserve it.
I came to the conclusion many years ago that violent overthrow is the only solution, after voting for many individuals who could have effectively run this country but were largely ignored because they didn’t have D or R after their names on the ballot.
Ralph Nader, whose entire existence revolved around the safety of the American people.
Ross Perot, who spoke of the “giant sucking sound” at the border should NAFTA be initiated. My husband’s last job at GM was disassembling dies to send to Mexico.
Jill Stein, who actually opposed genocide.
HAND OUT THE GUNS AND AMMO
BECAUSE THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE AIR
WE GOT TO GET TOGETHER SOONER OR LATER
BECAUSE THE REVOLUTION’S NEAR
—-Thunderclap Newman
Thank you my friend. I do apologize however the debate was civil and fun though. : ) Thankfully you didn't listen to me ha. I am searching my memory for people I converted to hope with the existing system ha.
I made some serious cash betting Ron Paul would get 19% of the vote. Whew just made that at a time when the Ex-wife would have killed me for losing that much money ha. Jill I worked for and voted for even though it didn't count not being on the ballot. Ralph, great man from the moment I heard his name with the corvair. Later I did the math to see if that center of mass would roll over with the right angle ha. Ralph was right : )
Yes, so what does anyone propose to do about it?
I propose taking up arms, dear kitty.
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
I still have my .22 rifle from when I was 10 riding my bike with it over my shoulder walking in to the hardware store to buy a box of bullets. I could never afford the long rifles for that smooth load and eject from the pump action. : )
Nuthin wrong with the .22, my friend. Just make sure it’s functional.
That's the 64 trillion dollar question.
First we have to find the "anyone" and would any sane person want to take over this shīt show?
Wait for it, yes, wait for it. Caitlin : ) The Nation of Caitlin is formed.
It's Rubio and his Floridian Cubans who want to bring back the glory days, even while Trump and Miller are hunting and hounding brown and black skins in the America. We need Trump and his crew in prison before they start wars on 2 fronts - Civil War and WWIII. But it might be too late
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If Trump indeed launches the strike on Iran that he is threatening, this war will be unlike any other that the U.S. has engaged in for the last eighty years.
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As Deaglan O'Mulroonery pointed out in a related article, Iran has been preparing for decades to resist this long anticipated assault by the United States. The damage that Iran will ready to inflict on American military bases in West Asia will be instant and catastrophic.
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Of all the wars that the U.S. exported to the world in the last eight decades – Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Ukraine, and all the rest – none of them entailed a consequence like this.
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What presently remains of America’s capacity to project power onto the world is concentrated most forcefully within the many military bases it has sequestered through the dictatorial regimes it either controls or influences or intimidates within that region which Israel fantasizes about as the object of its Greater Israel expansion project -- what the West has long referred to as the Middle East.
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The moment that Trump initiates a miliary strike on Iran from his assembled fleet in the Gulf region, Iran will launch its promised retaliation against all those regional U.S. military bases, and against the dictatorial regimes so beloved by the American Empire.
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And the U.S. will not be able to intercept those strikes. The distance between target and launch is simply too close, and the Iranian missiles will be moving too fast. They won't be able to stop all of them. I think it is even highly likely that they won't succeed in stopping very many of them.
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The same surely holds true for the U.S. fleet. If Trump imagines that his fleet will be impervious to strikes by Iranian missiles, he is dreaming. There will be strikes on the fleet. Those strikes will be effective and will cause profound damage.
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I don’t perceive any outcome from such a misguided decision as an assault on Iran, in which the projection of American power into West Asia will not be shattered overnight.
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Trump is probably just attempting to consolidate fascistic power home by launching a war abroad, but he is just as likely to bring the walls of the Empire crumbling down around him.
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And if the projection of American power into West Asia collapses under Iranian assault, that will be the end of the U.S. pet dictatorships in the region. And Israel may no longer be call on their favorite “Uncle” to bail them out from the consequences that will ensue.
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Never forget the Straits of Hormuz. Iran has said clearly they will shut this down immediately.
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Just so, Jenny Stokes, and thank you for catching my omission. Yes, absolutely. Iran has promised to shut down the Straits of Hormuz if the U.S. attacks them. And they will do it. And, if and when they do, global commerce as we know it will grind to a halt.
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And Trump's delusional fantasies of replacing the oil from West Asia with oil from Venezuela will be clobbered on the head. Even now that Venezuela's new head of state has capitulated to Trump's threats of violence against them, and has agreed to admit the U.S. Empire's Resource Extraction Pirates into their country to get at the oil, they cannot possibly bring up levels of oil production from that region fast enough to replace anything like the volume they will lose from West Asia.
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Trump's usual practice of "move fast and break everything around you" is really going to work this time. He will end breaking up the U.S. Empire about 10-20 years than it would otherwise have done. How about that?
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Mind you, this could well be why he and Hegseth are now holding conferences talking about -- rather sending missiles towards Iran -- sending teams of U.S. soldiers into Iran on the ground.
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That also will a losing scenario, though. Iran is a vast country. It is the size of Europe, and it is extremely challenging territory to contend -- especially for troops coming out of the Anglosphere and the Global North. There is no way they are not going to get hammered by the Republican Guards of Iran.
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And the body bags start coming home to the U.S., Trump and his gang will have to face increased fury from the citizens at home: they don't want this war.
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Thanks Sean.
With regard to 'body bags.' I see that the US is bringing some of these people home. God forbid any Americans get killed!
I am coming to the conclusion that Trump will do a TACO on this war which will infuriate Israel. BUT: Israel owns the US so I am an observer on the sidelines.
II could go on about the American people but I do live in Europe and it's NOT dissimilar.
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Jenny, I have the same intimation about Trump doing a TACO, and executing a U-turn away from his clownish militaristic posturing towards Iran.
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I hope to goodness we are both right. Certainly, if Trump has any people of influence around him who still have at least two functioning brain cells that can talk to each other, then, they should be able to figure out that a missile attack on Iran is sheer lunacy.
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Possibly even Satan's own personal representative here on Earth – Bibi Netanyahu – will be able to comprehend that if the Israeli-American Empire goes full ballistic missile on Iran today, then tomorrow will herald the end of the Israeli murder regime
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(… and probably the end of the American Empire itself, but what does Bibi care about that? He will use them up if he can. It’s nothing to him. If it means the end of the crime family of Israel, however, that’s another matter).
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And you share with Americans that you are living under the heel of the Israeli-Empire. Are your elected pols are selected and installed by them. That is why they are so hellishly subservient to their lords and masters.
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So, I, for one, think that gives you a right to speak your mind on the actions of the American Empire, and those who endorse its actions.
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All that is presented sounds just about right, except for one thing… The identity of the perpetrator is indeed the U.S. , all that is missing is the final letters to the title holder… ‘Of Israel’… as in.. The United States of Israel. Otherwise, all’s well with the narrative.
It's hard to distinguish between the two at this stage, or decipher which is dog and which is tail
Mary: I believe both are the dog’s asshole…
Haha yes. Or whatever comes out of it.
Zionist Israeli control of US policies and politicians is so pervasive we may as well rename The United States to The Zionited States.
https://nedb.substack.com/p/the-zionited-states-of-america
Yes indeed… a copy of that flag should be sent to the U.S. political brass. In their favour, I would guess that even though Money is the driving force of the empire, that the fear factor is a pretty close second.
We see these evil things generated by a clearly Malignant Narcissist who is well into Dementia and yet I am shocked. What is the supposed opposition party the Demoncrats the only word for them. When hope is crushed by the people who are supposed to be your champions, Obummer comes to mind do nothing but hand wave, like voting to give ICE more funding than requested creating a budget larger than all local and state police combined. What should we think, I know what I think, WE are ALL Palestinian now. ALL OF US.
"A dying animal is always at its most viscous whilst taking its last breath"
If only we could call in the SPCA to take care it ASAP!
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The drumbeat for war against Iran is being sounded, not only by the Monster-in-Chief, but also, by supposedly leftist papers like The Guardian.... and worse:
For the last month, during which the CIA, the Mossad and MI6 have been conducting their insidious False Flag operation with Iran, attempting to foment an insurrection by reportedly burning down hundreds of Mosques and Fire Stations and Ambulances, and assassinating over a thousand police officers {shades of exploding pagers?}, Democracy Now, and Amy Goodman – who claim to be progressives – to my everlasting horror, have insisted on reporting these events by repeating the Empire’s propaganda that it is the State of Iran that is propagating the violence against their own people, rather than the Empire that is assaulting Iran and its people.
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The U.S. assaulted Iran, first by economic sanctions that provoked what were indeed initially peaceful portests (that the State of Iran allowed to proceed peacefully), then by infiltrating the peaceful protests with agent provovateurs, with guns bombs to assassinate Iranian police officers and Iranian citizens, and destroy the mosques, fire stations and ambulances; and now by bring waring to their doorstep.
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That Democracy Now is presenting as "news" the bullshit claim that the Iranian authorities are the killers and aggressors in Iran is a travesty.
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Thhe Guardian has NOT been a 'leftist' newspaper for many years.
What has it been, an apologist for failed Cultural Marxism?
Democracy Now is really no better than Fox News on all of the crucial issues. All mainstream media is propaganda for the state.
Fools in a paradise of their own making they are trying to win back the empire by what ever means available. This is the catharsis of demented rage before the final collapse.
All from the presidential candidate who promised us no more wars and lasting world peace.🤬🖕
Seems to always work that way, no matter which political party comes into power.
Yep. Every 4 years the jews replace the jews.