Changing the Guard at World Headquarters
Nothing lasts forever, said the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus. No country that has tried to run the world has come close to lasting forever. Our generation has a ringside seat to this mighty change.
Changing the Guard at World Headquarters
The Decline and Fall of the American Empire is about to take place. Just as the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was an earthshaking event, so shall we witness a similar fall.
When people talk about the Fall of the Roman Empire, they are usually referring to the Western Roman Empire whose fall most people place at 476 AD. Never mind that the Eastern Roman Empire (wrongly named the Byzantine Empire by 19th Century “scholars”) lasted nearly another thousand years, until 1453 AD.
How Did We Get an Empire?
How long has there been an American Empire? Well, Manifest Destiny, a desire to take over all land from the east to the west coasts, has been chewing at the brains since, at least, 1798. There were swashbucklers and frontiersmen willing to realize the country’s destiny since the earliest days. They displayed their manhood and patriotism by destroying the homelands of indigenous peoples up and down the east coast and into the Ohio River Valley.
They even fought a war in 1812 with Great Britain, which attempted to bar the new country from establishing settlements beyond the high points of the Appalachian mountains. Tecumseh, a Shawnee chief, was an advocate of Indian unity, who also joined forces with the British, and won several battles against the Americans. He was killed, in 1813, in the Battle of the Thames in southern Ontario, Canada. When Tecumseh died, his dream of unity of the tribes died with him. The British abandoned their allies and ended the war. After this blow, it became clear that the American Empire was on the rise. Whatever territory this rising empire wanted, it got.
When it couldn’t invade, it used diplomacy and wealth to overcome other nations. The entire central part of the continent was transferred in 1801, from France to the US, for about three cents an acre. This single sale doubled the size of the United States and opened the door to reaching the Pacific Ocean.
Florida, somewhat under duress, was sold to the US by Spain in 1819, just in time for Andrew Jackson to pillage the Seminoles. By 1846, the new American Empire was ready to consume half of Mexico, and forever after harass its citizens who dared take up residency in their former lands.
In the Pacific Northwest, Britain had laid claim to everything north of the Columbia River. In response, US warmongers raised the slogan, 55’ 40” or fight. That would have moved the line about halfway up British Columbia, taking over Vancouver and its capital, Victoria. After threats of war, by you know who, the current border was finally settled.
In 1867s, Alaska was purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, or about 39 cents per acre. Ending the “Russian threat” to the Western Hemisphere.
After the US Civil War, another war raged on the central plains, and elsewhere, between the US Army and poorly armed tribal warriors from numerous indigenous tribes. The result amounted to genocide as many unique peoples lost their social cohesion, their culture, their families and their lives. The “Indian Wars,” represented perhaps the most shameful chapter in American history.
Bill McKinley’s Big Navy
By the turn of the century, Empire Building got serious. Under William McKinley’s presidency a global navy was constructed which intimated and utterly destroyed the Spanish ships. McKinley was reelected and soon after, assassinated and replaced by Theodore Roosevelt, a dedicated warmonger who coined the slogan, Speak softly and carry a big stick.
Meanwhile, Hawaii was stolen from the Native Hawaiians. A phony treaty of annexation was opposed by the majority of Hawaiians and was never ratified by the US Senate. One hundred years later, the Hawaiian people are still struggling for their right to self-government.
Then came the seizure of Puerto Rico, and temporarily, Cuba and The Phillippines. By now, there are too many places under US suzerainty to name, lest this article turn into a travelogue. There is a book for those who wish to know, called How to Hide an Empire, by Daniel Immerwahr.
The American Imperium got another big boost at the end of World War II. The titanic multi-year fight with the Nazis had left most of the victors exhausted and the losers, moribund. Even the Soviet Union, which had carried the battle to the Nazis were suffering from the loss of more than 20 million of its people. The absence of other powerful countries made it possible for the US to create a uni-polar world where its rules held sway. In the financial world, the US dollar reigned supreme. Worldwide transactions were made in US currency, no matter what countries were involved.
In military affairs, the US was seldom at peace. Somewhere in the world, it was fighting against some foe who had transgressed one of its rules. Some of its wars were large, such as Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the proxy war in Ukraine. Others were quite small, including little Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Diego Garcia, Panama, and numerous other “police actions.” While the US was not always capable of winning a definitive victory against determined guerrillas, it was always successful in feeding the military-industrial complex and various intelligence agencies.
All good things must come to an end, to the regret of top US corporate executives. The Ukraine proxy war is not going well. For once, the US is having difficulty supplying its side with sufficient ammunition, missiles and other instruments of war. Sanctions, which were supposed to deal Russia grievous harm have backfired and unleashed inflation and shortages on European allies, and even in the homeland.
The Fatal Error
US intrigue in Ukraine during this century has included a “color” revolution, which has become a favorite tactic of the US CIA. This time, Orange, was the color. The Maidan coup in 2014, which was mainly financed by the US State Department, deposed the elected president, Vikor Yanukovych, and instituted the passage of anti-Russian laws, which, in effect, made them second class citizens. Two provinces in the industrial Donbas region, Lukansk and Donetsk rebelled and asked Russia to annex them, which it refused to do. A seven-year war ensued between the Ukrainian army and the two self-styled Peoples Republics. After years of military training and aid from other countries, the Ukrainians, led by the Azov Battalion, and other Nazi-oriented groups seemed poised in 2021 to overrun the rebellious mini-states.
At this point, Russia requested a pledge by the Western Alliance that Ukraine would never be allowed into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). There was literally no response from the US. Russia then moved to invite Luhansk and Donetsk to become part of Russia. The two government voted to be annexed by Russia. The government vote was followed by popular referendums in favor. Two other Russian-majority provinces also voted to join Russia. The popular elections were denounced in the West, but there was no call for a repeat election under UN supervision, probably because the Western Powers knew that regions filled with ethnic Russians would again vote for unity with their mother country.
In a surprise to many Neo-conservatives, countries throughout the Global South remained neutral or supported Russia. So many, in fact, deserted the US that its position as the world leader was severely weakened. Countries that formerly supported Russia, such as India, Saudi Arabia, much of Africa and South America no longer followed America’s lead.
The reason is that no one, or no country, is willing to blindly follow another’s lead. Those days are over. We are headed for at least a tripartite global leadership. That would be the United States, Russia and China. It could be a beautiful mixing of cultures or it could be something else. It seems that Russia and China want to cooperate, but can the US play nice? Can America behave itself if it’s not King of the Hill? The US is no longer the essential nation, but it could quickly become the nuisance nation.
In contrast, when the sun was setting on the British Empire in the 19th century, the British people, and their government, took it rather stoically. There were no temper tantrums. No unpleasant or embracing moments. Let us hope for everyone’s sake that all nations, powerful and weak, treat each other with respect.
Roosevelt’s Last Wish
It has been said by Franklin Roosevelt’s aides that his view of the post-war geo politics was for a group called “The Four Policemen,” made up of the US, Britain, the Soviet Union and China, which would act as peacemakers, working together to put out fires before they could ignite into wars. In effect, they would become the UN Security Council and would be the only nations allowed to have arms. It never happened because Roosevelt died, and the Big Four could not get along. Recent events have shown how valuable this could be, in view of the fighting in Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, and some parts of Africa.
In Roosevelt’s view, the United Nations was an essential part of a peaceful world. It could be, again. Hopeful signs include Saudi Arabia and Iran coming together, and Turkey and Syria doing the same. We shouldn’t overlook the most important rapprochement, that of China and India, the two most populous countries in the world finding common ground.
Other countries seem to be growing up right before our eyes. Brazil may yet save the Amazon and become a leader of South America. Mexico is making great strides in assuming a helpful role around the world. South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and half a dozen other African countries could put that continent at the forefront of nations.
Don’t forget Europe, which is in much the same position as the US. It may never dominate the world as it has for the past few hundred years, but it still has an important role to play. Germany is no longer the war-making powerhouse it was in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. Likewise, for France, Italy, and Spain.
The dilemma that confronts us all, is that it is essential to pass the torch peacefully from our Empire – and sometimes, bully, of the world, – to a more democratic, and pluralist, third rock from the sun.
The Final Reckoning
It has been 500 years that Western nations have held the throne of the world. That’s probably long enough. First came Spain and Portugal, followed closely by the Netherlands, Britain, France, and then the United States. They are all white nations, who during their tenure, were often brutal, and promoted slavery, patriarchy, class, racism, and capitalism. Take a step backward, and admit that we may all be better off with nations that are more interested in trade, and technology, and working in everyone’s best interest.
The most likely candidates to try out for world leadership, as we go to press, is BRICS, a worldwide trading coalition made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Even more nations are clamoring to become part of BRICS, so it may end up with a very long name. BRICS is not a military alliance, like NATO. None of these countries are supplying Russia with arms. On the other hand, the friendship of these countries from the continents of Asia, South America and Africa bodes well for a more peaceful planet Earth.
Like it or not, we are entering a Brave and Better New World.