I have written here before regarding a certain militarization of American life. And, of course, our military is deployed around the world in ways that would have astonished our Founders.

There is so much wrong with all of this, from the cost to the purpose, to the questionable efficacy. So, to the import of the article linked below I had this question: Are we to maintain what is, in effect, an empire? Chalmers Johnson in his valuable book, Nemesis, has detailed how America has established a permanent system of world-wide military bases, not to "spread democracy" but to protect America's (business) interests. Empire doesn't work. Just look at what happened to the Seleucids, the Assyrians, and the Romans. A number of years ago the British decided to divest themselves of most of their various colonies. Of course, the tentacles of the London-controlled financial Empire have continued to bedevil us. But, at least, the outright ownership of foreign lands has mostly ceased.

Our question, then, is To the extent America is maintaining a financial and economic Empire, is this in our best interest? Can we afford it? What is it doing to our moral fiber?

I think these are good questions for the lead-up to Christmas.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/19/AR2008121902748.html