THANK YOU AUSTRALIA......

This is an absolutely beautiful tribute to the United States of America. Say
what you may... America is still the best country in the world. I thought this to be worthy of passing on. An Australian wrote it. Many people love America - many people don't. America is what it is and we are blessed (my humble opinion).





Written by an Australian Dentist...


To Kill an American


You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was
actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let
everyone know what an American is. So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African,
Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or
Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim.
In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only
difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will
answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of
Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

America is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. Americans welcome the best of
everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least.

The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your
tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These, in fact, are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General
Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the
world. But, in doing so, you would just be killing yourself. Americans
are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

i got this in my myspace last week.

good job copy/pasting.

Written by an Australian Dentist...
This is BULLSHIT (http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/w/whatisanamerican.htm) it was written by an American named Peter J. Ferrara (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_J._Ferrara) an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law he is actually virulent rightwinger .

Here is a more accurate picture of Australia , be warned because our Goverment supports the US war on terror dont mean the people do .

American Students Quit Australian University Over Anti-US Slurs (http://freeinternetpress.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=3899)
American students are quitting Queensland universities in the face of hate attacks by Australians angry at US President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq.

One university has launched an investigation into claims an American student returned to the US after suffering six months of abuse at a residential college in Brisbane.

American students have told The Sunday Mail the verbal attacks are unbearable and threatening to escalate into physical violence.

Griffith University student Ian Wanner, 19, from Oregon, said abusive Australian students had repeatedly called him a "sepo" – short for septic tank. "It is so disrespectful. It's not exactly the most welcoming atmosphere here," he said.

"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African,
Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or
Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.
I wish this post had ended here. Instead the inevitable propaganda follows (although you're right to point out that the 9/11 dead came from a wide variety of nations).


Say what you may... America is still the best country in the world.
Do you have independent evidence for this?


America is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.
Pure fantasy.


When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country.
The country then descended into civil war and the same people that Reagan praised as freedom fighters are now America's greatest enemy.


The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
One of America's most notable traits:sickening sentimentality. It permeates its film industry and its culture.


Here is a more accurate picture of Australia
I'd like to think that, unlike Al Queda, Aussies can differentiate between the wrongs of the US government and the non-liability of it's citizens abroad.

there is a loss of rationality world wide. however, what is real and what is cooked up by the media? do the accounts in the media accurately portray any side? or do they thrive on polarization?

I'd like to think that, unlike Al Queda, Aussies can differentiate between the wrongs of the US government and the non-liability of it's citizens abroad.
Unfortunately actions that the US has taken especially backing Israel is effecting Americans abroad , Im not for it , most if not the majority of Americans are against this onslaught , but people see the US acting with impunity and see the US people not resisting such as the French students did .

Did you get that junk in some email forwarded to you by some office worker? Sounds like the typical feel-good crap people get that way....


An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.

Nonsense.



The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of
Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

Kind of contradicts that whole "freedom of religion" thing.


America is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.


Other countries give more. Japan, for example....and don't get me started on lend-lease. The UK is still paying that back today.


Americans welcome the best of
everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services.

Certainly not the best steel. Last I checked, there were still import tariffs on that.


They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

*vomits*

There is no way this crap was written by anyone other than a big fat loudmouth trumpetting american.

America is defined by Americans.

The opinions of non-friendly non-Americans are irrelevent.

America is not about everyone not American or those not its obvious friend.

Whine, cry, b*tch, moan, complain -- you're on your own in the reality of your own making.

Not ours; not our problem.

Try to make it ours and see what you get.

You could have just stuck to the good old "we saved your ass in WWII". Much less wordy.

America is defined by Americans.

The opinions of non-friendly non-Americans are irrelevent.

America is not about everyone not American or those not its obvious friend.

Whine, cry, b*tch, moan, complain -- you're on your own in the reality of your own making.

Not ours; not our problem.

Try to make it ours and see what you get.

Ah, but what's America without an international Oscar audience?

What's America without a foreign runway on which to land its huge B747 Air Force One, then wave and smile like British Monarchs?

What's America without all those Olympic gold medals, and The Star-Spangled Banner?

What's America without its prerogative for preemptive strikes?

What's America without its relished opportunities to sneer and show tongue and finger at Amnesty International, the World Court, Greenpeace International, the UN, Doctors Without Borders, etc, etc?

What's America without world trade and free trade and cheap labor?

I mean, what's America without... the world.

Americans can be anybody,

but it will still be the white man that people of color will want to kill.

You could have just stuck to the good old "we saved your ass in WWII". Much less wordy.
You could just stick to sucking your thumb.

More intellectually honest.

Ah, but what's America without an international Oscar audience?

What's America without a foreign runway on which to land its huge B747 Air Force One, then wave and smile like British Monarchs?

What's America without all those Olympic gold medals, and The Star-Spangled Banner?

What's America without its prerogative for preemptive strikes?

What's America without its relished opportunities to sneer and show tongue and finger at Amnesty International, the World Court, Greenpeace International, the UN, Doctors Without Borders, etc, etc?

What's America without world trade and free trade and cheap labor?

I mean, what's America without... the world.
More than the world without America.

What's America without its relished opportunities to sneer and show tongue and finger at Amnesty International, the World Court, Greenpeace International, the UN, Doctors Without Borders, etc, etc?
Free to exist without parasitic infestation and opportunistic exploitation of that which wouldn't otherwise exist for the plundering?

You could just stick to sucking your thumb.

More intellectually honest.

Some of those words were less than 4 syllables.

You've really let yourself go.

Some of those words were less than 4 syllables.

You've really let yourself go.
It's expected.

I'm being forced to dumb down to the local demographic.

Hey, that's you.

More than the world without America.

I'm sure over 185 countries in the world (excluded minority who are dependent on American foreign aide, like Israel) can make do without Disney and Starbucks and CNN. After all, every country in the world would already have had a very much longer history in place, and a cultural identity to fall back on — co·operation and alliances and business, like NATO, Greenpeace, Airbus, etc, are prime examples of doing without America.

I'm sure over 185 countries in the world (excluded minority who are dependent on American foreign aide, like Israel) can make do without ....

But can they do without the US Dollar?

--- Ron.

uh...america aids nato.

But without American influence and American special interest groups and American foreign policy and American exports like those in culture, business ethics and such, or monopolies like Microsoft and Haliburton, the question is, can the world survive without any of that? It seems to me it has. For centuries. So I really don't see what's so complicated for Americans to think otherwise. After all, I don't believe there are words to the effect in any foreign country's national anthem that America is God's gift to the world... is there?? Yet, America constantly remarks something about "the greatest nation on earth" and "God bless America". A bit condescending, I think.

The question should be, with American foreign policy being what it is, can the world survive?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._foreign_interventions_since_1945

http://www.robert-fisk.com/robert_elias_25sept2001.htm

But can they do without the US Dollar?

--- Ron.

But isn't the Euro strong and getting stronger? I'm not into economics, but doesn't the American debt, to the tune of many trillions, weaken their dollar? And there's also a lot of foreign investment in the US, especially Arab money.

The question should be, with American foreign policy being what it is, can the world survive?

You've neglected to calculate America's special interests and influence in foreign policy making today. If Americans uphold democracy as loudly and proudly as they've been doing, then, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that democracy is a personal and heartfelt characteristic for Americans to identify themselves with? And so, Condoleezza Rice will ram that democracy down everybody's throat? Are you asking, can the world survive without America's force-feeding their special interests, influence, and democracy? An obvious answer, I would think.

But isn't the Euro strong and getting stronger? I'm not into economics, but doesn't the American debt, to the tune of many trillions, weaken their dollar? And there's also a lot of foreign investment in the US, especially Arab money.

Yes there is...

"The cumulative trade surplus of Middle Eastern oil exporters, which was $500 billion from 2000 to 2005, will come close to $800 billion by year-end..." ( Washington Post,Tuesday, March 7, 2006)

http://freeinternetpress.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6116

But isn't the Euro strong and getting stronger?

We keep a Euro account in Finland. The exchange rate improvement over the years as compared with the GB Pound or the US Dollar exceeds any ordinary interest rate.

Mind your back then. The downfall of Saddam Hussein was because he chose to use the EURO to trade oil.

--- Ron.

And all those rich Arabs ceremoniously jettisoned out of America in private aircraft immediately following 9/11...

Mind your back then. The downfall of Saddam Hussein was because he chose to use the EURO to trade oil.And the Russians too were making advances. What about the Chinese in all of this. Gee whiz, the world is bigger than we think once we start talking. Lol.

And the Russians too were making advances. What about the Chinese in all of this. Gee whiz, the world is bigger than we think once we start talking. Lol.

Europe is currently awash with very cheap Chinese goods obviously sold at a loss to gain control of the market, to kill off the local manufacturers. With European wage rates there is no way to compete.

--- Ron.

Europe is currently awash with very cheap Chinese goods obviously sold at a loss to gain control of the market, to kill off the local manufacturers. With European wage rates there is no way to compete.

--- Ron.

They learned from the best; almost 80% of "foreign aid" to developing countries is in the form of corporations that destroy small farmers and export food out of countries suffering from hunger and malnutriton.

And according to the World Bank developing countries are paying back $13 for every $1 loan to Western banks. Nice, huh?

They learned from the best; almost 80% of "foreign aid" to developing countries is in the form of corporations that destroy small farmers and export food out of countries suffering from hunger and malnutriton.

And according to the World Bank developing countries are paying back $13 for every $1 loan to Western banks. Nice, huh?

Just wait then until they learn how to create money.

--- Ron.

But can they do without the US Dollar?

--- Ron.

We'd all be better off without the US Dollar. The only nation that benefits from the US dollar is the US. They get to exchange worthless bits of paper for other nation's currencies that actually have inherent value.

I could barf. Being an American today is like being a citizen of Rome in her final glory days. We're spread too thin, our hands are drenched in blood and we are despised around the globe.

NATO [is a] prime example of doing without America.

That's got to be the stupidest thing I've seen posted in a long, long time.

I could barf. Being an American today is like being a citizen of Rome in her final glory days. We're spread too thin, our hands are drenched in blood and we are despised around the globe.

Except Rome had an empire and you've got....50 cent.

uh...america aids nato.

Dude, NATO is nothing less than the means by which American power is used to maintain a collective security arrangement in Europe. It is literally a system wherein states become treaty allies of the US, with all members pledging to come to the aid of any member who is attacked. Since America is by far the strongest member of NATO (easily more powerful than all the other members combined), this amounts to America gauranteeing the security and freedom of Europe.

To say that America "aids" NATO is a gross understatement: America was instrumental in creating NATO, and has always been the key participant. There can be no NATO without the full, enthusiastic participation of America.

(easily more powerful than all the other members combined)

Nonsense.


this amounts to America gauranteeing the security and freedom of Europe.


Nonsense.

I could barf. Being an American today is like being a citizen of Rome in her final glory days.
You flatter us. Rome at its peak is what all nations aspire to.

We're spread too thin, our hands are drenched in blood and we are despised around the globe.
Until a foreign military can stand upon American soil, we are not spread too thin. And may the opinions of other nations be damned.

Nonsense.

As seen here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_spending#Budgets_2002_for_NATO_countries

America spends around $330 Billion per year on the military, while the remaining NATO members combined spend a bit less than half that much. One of the major advantages that NATO membership provides to Europe (and Canada) is that they can cut their military spending while relying on the US for security, freeing up funds for economic development, welfare programs, etc.

Also, there are approximately the same number of American troops stationed in Europe as in Iraq.

Sorry but that doesn't give a clear enough picture by a long way.

"Money spent" does not equal actual power until you can show me exactly what every country is taking their money and spending it on down to the last cent. I mean, I am sure that something like SDI (or whatever they call it these days) eats up cash compared to something like, well....a couple of challenger 2s.

If you can come back and say "The US has more tanks/planes/whatever than every European country combined" then that's fine....it also neglects that some of those countries are actively engaged in war and some are not.

The most significant factor for the US's large expenditure being that they have deployed a large portion of their army half way around the world in Iraq and Afghanistan, while a neutral country from that list just has theirs sitting around doing nothing in their own country.

If you think about what you're saying for a minute, you'll realize that the facts that America can afford to buy lots of big ticket items and to deploy its forces to active warzones all over the planet are evidence of American military supremacy. Regardless, the margin by which American spending exceeds that of the remainder of NATO is so preponderous as to render disputes about the relative value of various military purchases moot. Europe's spending would have to be more than twice as "valuable" (in military terms) in order to make up the difference, which is clearly not the case. Around half of Europe's annual military budget goes to purchasing American military equipment (see http://www.dsca.osd.mil/programs/biz-ops/2005_facts/2005%20Facts%20Book%20Final.pdf), and NATO provides for standardization and interoperability of the systems of all member countries. Given that, and the fact that almost all members have comparable standards of living and manufacturing costs, I'd argue that military budgets of NATO members can be compared with quite a lot of surety.

Also, a better example of big-ticket items would be giant aircraft carriers, stealth planes and nuclear submarines. The modern missile defense initiative isn't really that costly, compared to things like the Navy. Moreover, the missile defense systems the US is developing are intended mainly for the defence of Eastern Europe and Japan: yet another example of America taking on a foreign security responsibility so that you don't have to. And another thing: the figures I cited previously are from 2002, and so don't include the additional costs of the Iraq deployments. American military spending has grown over the past 4 years, while European spending has declined; the actual picture today is even MORE imbalanced than the conservative numbers I referenced.

Well....2002 was Afghanistan....like I said, flinging thousands of cruise missiles and bombs costs a hell of a lot more than sitting around doing nothing.

Military spending means nothing, and certainly does not back up your original statement. How much do you think those IEDs cost? Versus a Humvee? How much does an RPG cost versus an Abrams?

But without American influence and American special interest groups and American foreign policy and American exports like those in culture, business ethics and such, or monopolies like Microsoft and Haliburton, the question is, can the world survive without any of that? It seems to me it has. For centuries. So I really don't see what's so complicated for Americans to think otherwise. After all, I don't believe there are words to the effect in any foreign country's national anthem that America is God's gift to the world... is there?? Yet, America constantly remarks something about "the greatest nation on earth" and "God bless America". A bit condescending, I think.

Well, you know we American's do like to boast a little. Truth is we are the greatest nation in the world. Name one nation that could compete one on one with us in technology, industry, food production, and general tenacity. God has blessed us. Not saying God hasn't blessed other nations at all. In fact I believe the Lord has Blessed most of the nations of this world. Is a crime to be proud of what you have and what you have accomplished?

America is a modern-day Rome. We are unmatched in many categories, especially war, very materialistic, and we have a strong belief that we can never be overtaken.

You are not a modern-day Rome, because Rome had an empire.

You have a big, resource-rich homeland....unlike Rome

You're more like a modern-day China if anything. Plus the Romans could handle Iraq a hell of a lot better than you have.

America is a modern-day Rome. We are unmatched in many categories, especially war, very materialistic, and we have a strong belief that we can never be overtaken.

No, we know we can be overtaken, but we know for that to happen the world needs an unstable climate. Thus that explains why we try to keep the world stable and fail. LOL

Well....2002 was Afghanistan....like I said, flinging thousands of cruise missiles and bombs costs a hell of a lot more than sitting around doing nothing.

The total amount of money America has spent on Afghanistan since 2001 is around $70 Billion, or roughly $12 Billion a year. Although this is as much as the Netherlands' and Turkey's combined military budgets, it's a drop in the bucket compared to US spending, and does not significantly alter the basic picture (which is America spending double what the rest of NATO does).



Military spending means nothing, and certainly does not back up your original statement. How much do you think those IEDs cost? Versus a Humvee? How much does an RPG cost versus an Abrams?

I have no idea what the cost of an IED or RPG has to do with my original statement, which was:

"America is by far the strongest member of NATO (easily more powerful than all the other members combined)"

If you have any more pertinent measure of the relative military strengths of NATO members than military expenditures, I'm all ears.

My point was (which you seem to have missed) that how much money you throw at a military does not necessarily have any direct connection with the "power" (your words) of that military.

uh..military spending DOES have a direct connection to the strength of the military in question.

probably more what you mean is that it should not be the sole indication of that military's prowess.

Well, you know we American's do like to boast a little. Truth is we are the greatest nation in the world. Name one nation that could compete one on one with us in technology, industry, food production, and general tenacity.

Technology:

That's a bit tricky isn't it. On paper you make most computers, telecommunication equipment and such, but do you really?

The majority of components are made not in america, but in countries like China. The owners are often American. America, the great nation of stockholders.

Industry:

— World 14,054,400
— European Union 3,633,630
1 United States 2,643,390
2 Japan 1,253,615
3 People's Republic of China (mainland only) 973,3231
4 Germany 809,380
5 United Kingdom 591,500
6 Italy 499,104
7 France 453,252

34 Finland 58,155



European Union has a bigger industry output in total.
If we now divide that number by the number of citizens:
USA -0.0088
Finland - 0.011
Germany - 0.009
So relatively Finland has more industry...

greatest nation indeed.

Food production:

I can't find reliable data on this, but I am sure there are people outproducing you. Anyway, whoever thought it was great to be a farmers nation? Just keep stuffing yourself. America, the fattest nation in the world.

General tenacity:
A few thousand people die in a terrorist attack and the nation is on his knees.
You engage in a war with backward vietnam and you lose.
You feel unsafe and you buy a SUV.
You feel unsafe and you live in a gated community.
You give up your freedom because you feel afraid.
You fight several wars in Iraq, kill off thousands and thousands and still you can't seem to win.
You fight a war on drugs, but you are the biggest consumers of drugs.
You fight a war against the soviet union but the soviet union defeats itself.

Tenacity indeed.

There are some areas where you show tenacity:
You frantically try to maintain a consumer lifestyle that is above you level because that is a measure of success in life. You frantically try to grab as much for yourself as is possible because you cannot let it go into someone else's hands. You frantically try to put as many people into prison so you can feel safe, but you don't. You don't think it is weird that at least a factor 10 more americans are in prison than Europeans. You blame it all on others.



Somehow you cannot imagine (due to the heavily indoctrinated upbringing) that you are not the envy of the world. Just a shithole where the rich live good lives and the poor are hoping to crawl out of the shit and join the rich. The only message you spread is that you care about yourself. You can't even point out Iraq on the map. You believe in creationism. You think abortion is wrong. Anything that reeks of enlightment is wrong, evil, pinko and unpatriotic


The USA will enter the history books as the greates bully of the 20th and 21st century.

Congratulations.

With luck you will turn yourself into a proper facist state and you close your borders.

If only.

uh..military spending DOES have a direct connection to the strength of the military in question.

probably more what you mean is that it should not be the sole indication of that military's prowess.

Well, what I mean is kind of half way between what I said and what you said.

My point was (which you seem to have missed) that how much money you throw at a military does not necessarily have any direct connection with the "power" (your words) of that military.

Seems to me to indicate the power to get the money.

-- Ron,

Except Rome had an empire and you've got....50 cent.
Good Point. Unfortunately even our proletariat are poisoned by filth and greed.

You flatter us. Rome at its peak is what all nations aspire to.

Until a foreign military can stand upon American soil, we are not spread too thin. And may the opinions of other nations be damned.
We are paying for that last sentence, in money and blood. It will be the downfall of the Empire.

My point was (which you seem to have missed) that how much money you throw at a military does not necessarily have any direct connection with the "power" (your words) of that military.

Rejecting your argument is not the same thing as missing your point. Anyway, until you can explain what other factors are important, and how they add up to a preponderance of NATO power residing outside the US, there's nothing else to talk about.

A preponderance of NATO power being outside of the US? That is true a lot of NATO power is outside the the US. Of course this is including all the US forces not currently on US soil. Of course then again I would consider 40% of the military power of NATO to be a preponderance

Rejecting your argument is not the same thing as missing your point. Anyway, until you can explain what other factors are important, and how they add up to a preponderance of NATO power residing outside the US, there's nothing else to talk about.

You don't even know what's being argued. You claimed:


(easily more powerful than all the other members combined)

Now you are now trying to cover your own ass.

That doesn't even make any sense.

You don't even understand your own argument then?

Will I translate your own quote back to you?

A preponderance of NATO power being outside of the US? That is true a lot of NATO power is outside the the US. Of course this is including all the US forces not currently on US soil.

LOL... of course I should have chosen my words more carefully. EUCOM alone is probably more powerful than all of the non-US NATO countries combined...

You don't even understand your own argument then?

Will I translate your own quote back to you?

Hey Partner! C'mon, you gotta relax! Don't force it! You're gonna blow out your o-ring! Drop a lung!

I really hope that China decides to take over the majority of Asia. Then maybe people will for once get their heads out of their asses and realize that there are worse things in the world than America. Better yet, we dont do anything and let it happen. I think speaking Chinese would do some of these posters some good.

There is no way this crap was written by anyone other than a big fat loudmouth trumpetting american.

That's what I thought when reading it! Except you put it better.

We are paying for that last sentence, in money and blood. It will be the downfall of the Empire.
Oh, we will fall. Everything collapses sometime. But I am convinced that we will rise out of our own ashes at least a couple times before darkness finally claims America.

Remember how many times Rome had to fall before it stayed down for good. And, even then, it was only because the Vatican raised itself in its place. And hear me: when we go, it will only be because we destroy ourselves from the inside out. No army, no weapon, no force from outside that can possibly be mustered from the remaining fragments of the world would be enough to take us down. Not without ensuring their own destruction, in any case.

The moment we are held as slaves to the whims of the international community, the nation is already dead.

And hear me: when we go, it will only be because we destroy ourselves from the inside out.

No doubt! You can see it happening with almost every Republican action. And their voters lap it up. $10 trillion in debt? Who cares! Gay marriage? OMG NO!!

Wrong type of internal action. What it would take is such a split of beliefs with such strong feelings on either side that people are willing to fight a civil war. Unless something seriously changed while I was blinking, we can barely interest the people enough to get them to vote.

Money is not what leads to a superpower's destruction. It can only be killed by its people no longer wishing it to exist. Until then, any defeat is merely temporary it will get right back on its feet the moment it has two seconds to breath. Lets look at a particularly nasty example and look at post WWI germany. Bombed and looted until it hardly existed and with its economy dead and buried, it was back to strangling the world in a couple of decades.

Superpowers are like Dracula in his old movies. Stake it, drag it into sunlight, chop off its head, whatever. He will always be back for the next movie as long as there is demand for him.

If you measure the health of a country by its military prowess, for at least decades in the future the US will be king.

But if you measure the health by its standard of living, the US is in decline, and looks likely to not again reach a peak.

Germany came back after WWI but that was an illusion wasn't it? And it's not really the same country after WWII. The US might still be called the US after it implodes, if only financially, but it won't really be the same country then either.

Oh, we will fall. Everything collapses sometime. But I am convinced that we will rise out of our own ashes at least a couple times before darkness finally claims America.

Remember how many times Rome had to fall before it stayed down for good. And, even then, it was only because the Vatican raised itself in its place. And hear me: when we go, it will only be because we destroy ourselves from the inside out. No army, no weapon, no force from outside that can possibly be mustered from the remaining fragments of the world would be enough to take us down. Not without ensuring their own destruction, in any case.

The moment we are held as slaves to the whims of the international community, the nation is already dead.
Right on with most of this. But what will destroy the US is meddling in other countries politics. Jabbing sticks at every beehive we can find and spending trillions on imperialist adventures. US military to defend US borders. Period. Anyone wanna pay for "democracy" in other countries, please pick up the tab yourselves. 2 decades is about how much longer the US will retain primacy.

No Genji, very few countries fall from outside forces, it is usually from internal pressure of people who are to ( liberal (US) Concretive (European) ) who give away the rights of the people and try to bribe their way to Peace.

You're only a generation or two away from being bred out by foreigners anyway.

Let's see how they hold up your "empire".

No Genji, very few countries fall from outside forces, it is usually from internal pressure of people who are to ( liberal (US) Concretive (European) ) who give away the rights of the people and try to bribe their way to Peace.
Do you endorse a one party state Buff? Interesting position for a conservative. BTW liberalism died with LBJ. The term is now used to label all that step out of the conservative party line. This country hasn't seen a real liberal in decades.

Are we talking fiscal or moral liberal? If you are talking Fiscal- shit GW is a liberal. See how $$$$ the Feds are spending??? Good Lord.

There are no true CONSERVATIVES (in the states rights frame of mind, not this moral conservative crap).

You're only a generation or two away from being bred out by foreigners anyway.

Let's see how they hold up your "empire".
If they want to vote, they damn well are going to have to pay their taxes.

And, technically, we could just round them all up and have them put before a firing squad as spies. They are foreign-born men who sneak across the borders covertly in the middle of the night with no form of identification whatsoever... Sounds about right. ;)

Genji, change of subject?

If they want to vote, they damn well are going to have to pay their taxes.

And, technically, we could just round them all up and have them put before a firing squad as spies. They are foreign-born men who sneak across the borders covertly in the middle of the night with no form of identification whatsoever... Sounds about right. ;)

By "foreigners" I didn't necessarily mean "illegal immigrants".