THOUGHTS ON THE FOLLY OF EMPIRE

Bill Hessell shared your blog post on Google+ The folly of empire, from ancient empires through colonial expansion to superpower dominance, cannot be questioned.  Short-term gain perhaps, but long-term over-extension,  exhaustion, and collapse. We are the last nation with military superiority that is capable of aspiring to world-wide extension of power, and there are powerful forces in the US pressing the government to use our overwhelming strength to achieve their ends.  The neocons among us, the military-industrial complex, the surveillance industry all see opportunities for involvement overseas.  Woodrow Wilson may have been sincere in his desire to make the world safe for democracy, now that lofty intention is only a cover for seeking profits, justifying all the military spending that has become habitual, controlling resources and opening up new international markets.  We now know that democracy can not be exported and forced onto other cultures. Still, we arrogantly, but dishonestly seem to try.  Even good men, Obama in the current case,  as Chris Hedges writes in this brilliant essay, has capitulated to the demands of Wall Street, the fossil-fuel industry, the military-industrial complex, and the security and surveillance state.  That was not the "yes we can" hope on which he was elected.  THE FOLLY OF EMPIRE