From TomDispatch.com

Best of TomDispatch: Chalmers Johnson, Dismantling the Empire

Posted by Chalmers Johnson at 4:55pm, August 7, 2011.

Chalmers Johnson died on November 20, 2010, but -- for me at least -- his spirit lives on in the most active of ways.  In his last years at TomDispatch.com, he regularly chewed over the profligacy of the Pentagon, our unbridled urge for military spending, and our penchant for war-making and war preparations without end.  He was convinced that we had long passed the point at which we were still a “republic,” that we had decisively opted for empire, and -- long before the U.S. intelligence community came to that conclusion -- that we were on the downward slide, helped along by what he called a “military Keynesianism” run amok.

One question he raised regularly in conversation, but never answered in print, was: What would it mean for the United States -- i.e. a great military superpower -- to bankrupt itself?  After all, we aren't Argentina.  But if there was no obvious model to draw on, he never doubted one thing: if we didn’t change our ways and reverse course on empire, we would certainly be a candidate for debtor’s prison and a wreck of a country.  In his last major essay, also the title of his last (and still unbearably relevant) book, he turned to the issue of “dismantling the empire,” knowing full well that it wasn’t on any imaginable Washington agenda.

Having just lived through one of the more bizarre months in the history of the former republic -- what I recently termed “a psychotic spectacle of American decline” -- it seemed to me that Johnson’s “dismantling” essay couldn’t be more timely, and so on this quiet Sunday in August, on the weekend the author of Blowback would have turned 80,  I’m bringing it back from the TomDispatch archives.  It was first posted on July 30, 2009, and it has only gained in relevance from the two years of debacle that have followed.  If only I could bring Chalmers back as well.  This country could use him right now.  Tom

Comments

[warren,]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-futures-drop-in-asian-trading-2011-08-07?siteid=bulletrss

I think AA+ is a bit steep, BAA is much more Realistic. Can just hear all those lefties now, "BAA, Baa'a...."

[Tim]

“To advocate for an action that puts our country at risk through default while ignoring the collective wisdom of the best minds in the world on the issue to the contrary, is either criminal or stupid/ignorant.”

Would this be the same collective wisdom that got us here, long before the Tea Party ever arrived on the scene? In fact, isn’t it in large part the cause for the rise of the Tea Party? Doing the same thing expecting a different result, yet again Rocky? I believe that fits the description of stupid/ignorant. As for criminal, ignoring the Constitution as the POTUS and Congress does would fit that description.

There are times I wonder what would happen if the Dems had complete control of Congress and the Presidency. Oh that’s right they have, yeah that’s worked out real well.

http://realhomemadeinternational.com/

[Tim]

Try this link.

http://www.cnsnews.com/node/62793

[Antonio Andolini]

Emperor Obama, has a nice ring to it.

[toonist]

I think he's more of a Republican Wannabe than an Emperor

[Antonio Andolini]

While I am all for reigning in government spending, including the Pentagon, I worry that it was during the Clinton administration, when average Pentagon budgets were cut by nearly 20%, that terrorists were emboldened, leading up to the worst attack on American soil. Yes, yes, I know President Bush was in office on that date, but the planning and preparations began long before then.
Also, will any savings from cutting defense spending result in less of our money being taken by the government? Or will the bloated bureaucracy continue to dole it out to those "more worthy" of our money?
I believe that if our money was left in our pockets each of us, our families, our friends, our churches, our nonprofit agencies and even our local and state governments would be better able to take care of those of us who need help.
"Charity begins at home." Terence, Andria Roman comic dramatist (185 BC - 159 BC)(later attributed to Charles Dickens.)

[warren,]

How's that Hopey/Changey Thing Working Out?

http://www.cnsnews.com/cnsnewstv/v/107918

We can Only Hope for Change right now.

I've been telling Folks for a while now that we have the Best Criminal Minds in the World, in charge of Our Money. The likes of Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Timmy(JR?)Geithner. They're collectively ( no pun intended ) Busting Out the American "Restaurant". I just saw a Wonderful "Photo-Shop" of the Wall St. Bull lying down.... I would've drawn in It's tounge hanging out. Not Yet?

[warren,]

More Bull from Wall St.

http://www.freakingnews.com/Wall-Street-Bull-Pictures---2145.asp

OLE!

[Antonio Andolini]

Sad to hear that the the largest loss of life suffered by foreign forces in a single incident in 10 years of war in Afghanistan, including members of our elite Navy SEALS team, was caused by some sand ^(##%$ with a shoulder-fired RPG.
"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." -Elmer Davis
Dana Perino, President Bush's Press Secretary, tells the story of the time she asked a Navy SEAL if they needed to learn foreign languages for their mission. "No Ma'am, we don't go in there to do much talking."
RIP.

[warren,]

WW I began with Cavalry Charges, and continued with en masse Infantry Attacks against entrenched Machine Guns. The Polish were still using Cavalry Charges in 1939! Why are We still sending Live Bodies into a No Win ( unless y' Nuke 'em ) S***hole like Afghanistan? It has been Proven that We can Kill these Scum via Satellite with Drones and other Marvels of Modern Technology. We just lost some of the Best for What? Are we willing to accept the Fact that Afghanistan is what it is, Worthless? And change Our Tactics accordingly?
You can not Reason with Unreasonable People. If We must Fight them, and We MUST or Western Civilization is Doomed to Dhimmy Status under a Seventh Century Caliphate, then lets do it with Technology. Save the Brave and Best for other Emergencies.

[Antonio Andolini]

Who our President listens to:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/06/christina-romer-downgrade-standard-and-poors-bill-maher_n_920152.html

[warren,]

More "Crispy" Friends of Obama....

http://news.yahoo.com/libya-rebels-dissolve-executive-committee-202549719.html

[Antonio Andolini]

Alan Greenspan reassures us all.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/08/07/greenspan_us_can_pay_any_debt_it_has_because_we_can_always_print_money.html

[warren,]

That's what will happen Antonio. No Argentina Style Default for US, just good Old Fashioned Inflation. Do Not Try this at Home Folks!!! It's called Conterfitting and is an Original Felony! ( See Treason & Piracy ). What's that Old Addage about the Govt. Hateing Competition?

[warren,]

Hey Antonio?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5INFAuM1xI&feature=youtu.be

-This has a ring of Truth to it..."For What it's Worth"

[Antonio Andolini]

First Amendment? Forget about it!
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/08/05/john_kerry_media_has_responsibility_to_not_give_equal_time_to_tea_party.html

[Antonio Andolini]

The gift that keeps on giving.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/08/02/debbie_wasserman_schultz_weve_really_begun_to_turn_the_economy_around.html

[Antonio Andolini]

Always interesting when different players strike a common chord.
"These neo-imperial wars would have bewildered our Founding Fathers." Pat Buchanan: Hawks Must Face Budget Reality
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20110809/OPINION02/708099995/-1/opinion

[Antonio Andolini]

That other gift...
http://twitter.com/#!/MMFlint/status/100586805925117952

[warren,]

Easy there Antonio, Don't go calling Micheal Moore a Gift. Unless You're suggesting We drop him on the Insurgents in Afghanistan. Beheadings do not seem to be in vogue anymore, but he'd definately dull the Handschar*. So what's Kerry going to do, huh? ...Sic a Tazer wielding "Thing" on the TEA Folks???
-Even Al Gore gave US a rant last week. Good Grief.

*
http://www.shoebat.com/blog/archives/628

[Antonio Andolini]

Sub-groups within the TEA party that bear watching:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/265157/jimmy-kimmel-live-the-mr-t-party

[warren,]

Tony, What would it Take to get You in an Airplane? Would You jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

- With a parachute, of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyz_2DEah4o

[Antonio Andolini]

Well, folks, despite the best efforts of the Total Recall gang at MSNBC, led by Ed Schulz, only two Republican senators were recalled in Wisconsin. Lots of long faces on Morning Joe this morning. It'll be fun to watch the spin today. Give the NY Times credit for highlighting the money spent on this debacle:
"The recall campaigns have been battering, time-consuming, confusing (four separate elections have been set for July and August) and remarkably expensive. By one estimate, outside groups and the campaigns will have spent at least $35 million to recall senators, making some of the races the most expensive Wisconsin legislative campaigns in memory."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/us/politics/10wisconsin.html

[Antonio Andolini]

Always fun to listen to:
http://dennismillerradio.com/blog?action=viewBlog&blogID=357354543902658690

[warren,]

In Wisconsin,

"Two Senate Democrats also face recall elections next week — one more chapter in the same collective bargaining rights battle — but given the results on Tuesday, those races now cannot affect which party controls the State Senate, the question that had always been the ultimate concern on both sides. If anything, Republicans could now increase their hold next week."

-Now Wouldn't THIS be Fun and Exciting!