American war criminals at work
Global Research Feature Article
URL of this article: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20070219&articleId=4865
www.GlobalResearch.ca
Remember the recent Brasscheck TV video that got booted by Google and YouTube?
Apparenly, many people all over the
world downloaded the Google version
before it was taken down it's been
uploaded to sites all over the
world.
...When they zig, we zag.
Thanks to several crafy subscribers,
we managed to get some copies put on
the big services too.
How long they'll stay up, I don't
know.
I think traffic spikes and crossing
certain volume thresholds may be
a trigger for specific videos to be
eye-balled.
Who knows?
Meanwhile, here's FIVE places you
can watch the video that Google & Friends apparently don't want you to see:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjyuumxohU
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhUypUMDEko
3. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2769765528126140323
(fuzzy titles from older version)
4. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3074561005024763960&hl=en
(fuzzy titles from older test version)
5. http://www.ifilm.com/video/2823171
- Brasscheck
P.S. Thanks to everyone who suggested
alternate hosting arrangements. I'll
definitely check them all out.
I would have liked to respond personally to everyone who wrote, but it wasn't physically possible. There are a lot of you guys and gals now :-)
P.P.S. Please tell your friends and
colleagues about Brasscheck TV. That's
how we grow.
Brasscheck TV
2380 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
Global Research Feature Article
URL of this article: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=PHI20070215&articleId=4804
www.GlobalResearch.ca
by Peter Phillips and Lew Brown and Bridget Thornton
Global Research, February 15, 2007
projectcensored.org
February 13, 2007 18:45 | by Peter Phillips, Lew Brown and Bridget Thornton
Project Censored releases a new study on the history of US intelligence community human rights violations and continuing research in electromagnetic weapons
This research explores the current capabilities of the US military to use electromagnetic (EMF) devices to harass, intimidate, and kill individuals and the continuing possibilities of violations of human rights by the testing and deployment of these weapons. To establish historical precedent in the US for such acts, we document long-term human rights and freedom of thought violations by US military/intelligence organizations. Additionally, we explore contemporary evidence of on-going government research in EMF weapons technologies and examine the potentialities of continuing human rights abuses.
In the 1950s and 60s the CIA began work to find means for influencing human cognition, emotion and behaviour. Through the use of the psychological understanding of the human being as a social animal and the ability to manipulate a subject's environment through isolation, drugs and hypnosis, US funded scientists have long searched for better means of controlling human behaviour. This research has included the use of wireless directed electromagnetic energy under the heading of "Information Warfare" and "Non Lethal Weapons." New technological capabilities have been developed in black budget projects (government funded projects that are classified/secret to Congress and the American people) over the last few decades- including the ability to influence human emotion, disrupt thought, and present excruciating pain through the manipulation of magnetic fields. The US military and intelligence agencies have at their disposal frightful new weapons, weapons that have likely already been covertly used and/or tested on humans, both here and abroad, and which could be directed against the public in the event of mass protests or civil disturbance.
Human Rights belong to people collectively. To believe in rights for some and not others is a denial of the humanness of people worldwide. Yet, denial is exactly what Congress and George W. Bush did with the signing of the Military Commission Act of 2006. The new official US policy is that torture and suspension of due process are acceptable for anyone the president deems to be a terrorist or supporter. This act is the overt denial of the inalienable rights of human beings propagated in our Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More so, US actions declared to the world that the US suspends human rights for those it believes are evil.
The precious words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," did not declare that only some men (and women) possess unalienable rights. Our independence was founded on the understanding that all men and women are recognized by this nation as having innate rights derived by their humanity.
Likewise, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, created by the United Nations in 1948, signed and ratified by the US Congress, specifies in its preamble that "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world."
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been a guide for international law for most of six decades, and as such binds the United States to its general principles. Article 10 states that "everyone is entitled to full equality, to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him," and Article 5 specifically prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Both of these basic human rights have been superceded by the passage the of Military Commissions Act of 2006.
Additionally, the Universal Declaration of Human rights declares that everyone has the right to freedom of thought and freedom of expression and opinion. This means that humans have the inalienable right to be able to freely think their own thoughts and discover their own truths. This paper addresses this most fundamental human right and explores the pending threats to individual freedom of thought posed by new EMF weapons technologies.
Freedom of thought or cognitive liberty is the natural human right of each person to be secure in their ability to perceive the world to the best of their ability. To have true cognitive liberty in a world as complex as ours would mean that first we must have access to truthful and unbiased information about the actions of others and the general state of the world. The Center for Cognitive Liberty defines this as "the right of each individual to think independently and autonomously, to use the full spectrum of his or her mind, and to engage in multiple modes of thought."[2] Without accurate representations we cannot make independently informed choices. It is imperative that the human body and mind be considered sacrosanct. To invade a person's body without their consent is an egregious human rights crime.
The circumstance may soon arrive in which anti-war or human rights protesters suddenly feel a burning sensation akin to touching a hot skillet over their entire body. Simultaneously they may hear terrifying nauseating screaming, which while not produced externally, fills their brains with overwhelming disruption. Not only are both phenomena currently possible, but designs for more powerful EMF technologies receive continuous funding from the US Government.
For the US Government to unilaterally declare that our country will not comply with international human rights laws, nor uphold the core values of our nation's foundation is an indication of extremism that supersedes the values and beliefs of the American people. When such extremism exists we need to take seriously the founders' declaration that, " to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." (Declaration of Independence 1776)
Peter Phillips, Lew Brown and Bridget Thornton supplied this introduction to their study "US Electromagnetic Weapons and Human Rights"
http://www.spectrezine.org/NorthAmerica/wokusch2.htm
SaLuSa 16-February-2007
You have heard many times that “Love is all there is” and perhaps that doesn’t strike you as being very informative. Let me start by giving you the same statement in a slightly different way. Note where the emphasis is, and that “Love is All there is” which should convey to you its creative power, coming from the “Source of All there Is”.
Why do we and other sources keep mentioning the aspect of love. It is because it is the most important issue that you must address. In duality you are in a struggle to manifest your love, having to deal with so much negativity. There are distractions such as noise, and emotional crises that seem to prevent you taking the time to understand yourself. Those quiet times seem far and few between, and the energy of love seems far away.
Yet for all the trials, you intuitively know that somehow it is essential that you seek the elusive condition of love. It starts with Self and expands to include those around you. Respecting Self and forgiving of what you may see as your shortcomings, will elevate you in your own eyes. This in turn means that you can extend that tolerance and understanding to others. Furthermore, doing so as a means for spiritual advancement helps to strengthen your determination. Harmony and balance take over, and the general benefit is one of increasing upliftment of your vibrations.
What is this love we talk about, as it is not the earthly love you have for each other that is associated with physical attraction. Certainly you experience loving feelings, and will have ecstatic times when the love energy can be overpowering. We talk of Universal Love that is all encompassing, and when you are at its center in total peace and happiness. It is your most natural state of being, and one you left behind as you allowed your vibrations to be lowered.
Look at those who came to Earth to be living examples of love in action. Your many teachers who could live amongst you, yet still hold that higher vibration of love. They showed you what is possible, and taught you the way it could be achieved. Their emphasis was always on love, and how necessary it was to your evolution. Now you have entered a time when if you vow to practice Universal Love, you are given every help to achieve it. Until it is mastered, you cannot truly claim to have become one with your Christ Consciousness.
As you prepare to ascend in those final years, you will achieve Christ Consciousness and it is seen by many as the fulfillment of the promise of the return of the Christ energy. It is one that will pervade the whole of the Earth, and is it any wonder that Mother Earth has sacrificed much to help you achieve evolution. The event of Ascension is all the more important because it is unique, inasmuch that it allows for the upliftment of all Humanity. There is a choice for each one of you, and a great number will go through.
Ascension itself is not unique, as it is ongoing and anyone may do so at anytime. However, this cycle has been prepared to allow for this decreed ending, but what is unique is that Man will ascend in his physical body, which will have been refined, and become of raised vibrations. Visitors come from all over the Galaxy in readiness to witness such a wonderful event. They already have the awareness and understanding, of what a marvellous achievement it will be for each and everyone that is successful in ascending.
Think of the number of special occasions over the last 25 years, when you have been advised of days or periods when the energies being sent to Earth have been dramatically increased. They continue even now, becoming more frequent and offering opportunities through you to consciously take part in their grounding upon Earth. They are raising the vibration at an ever-increasing pace, and it is bringing a distinct separation between you and those who cannot accept them.
Leaving Mother Earth is not part of Ascension, as it is only the cycle of duality that comes to an end. Mother Earth rises up with you to present another aspect of herself to you; one that like you reflects a great lifting up in vibrations. The new Earth will shine like a jewel, as the golden rays bring out the most wonderful range of colors that will be additional to those you are familiar with already. Paradise is a word that might conjure up some idea of what is in store. However, think upon my earlier words, as the energy of love will completely enfold you in a peace and happiness that knows no equal.
The Creator is Love, and All exists within that Love and nothing is outside of it, except the un-manifest. In your present levels it is difficult for you to comprehend the state of perpetual love, and be assured that you will never tire of being within it. Your Dear Ones who have momentarily left the body to only return to Earth a short time later, touch those lower levels of the love vibration. They rarely wish to return to Earth such is the feeling of peace and Oneness, but do so because they put fulfillment of their life contract first and foremost. Ask them to describe the feeling, and they will find it difficult to describe.
Where it has been recorded, read the accounts of people meeting ET’s or Spiritual Beings such as an Angelic presence. You will certainly find that with few exceptions, the energy surrounding such Beings creates an indelible impression upon them. It is their peaceful countenance and ability to put you at ease and alleviate your fears, that is lasting and rarely if ever forgotten. Yet, it is still difficult to find the words to give it a full expression.
Your spiritual family comes to you in Love and admiration, and you are dearly loved for your courageous travels upon Earth. Not every soul desired such an experience, but for those who have their evolution has gone speeding ahead.
I am SaLuSa filled with joy for you all, and bring love and salutations from the Galactic Federation. We are now drawing nearer to you, and soon to appear.
Thank you SaluSa.
Mike Quinsey.
To Subscribe/Unsubscribe by Email send to:
etfirstcontact@voidzero.net
Or go to: http://treeofthegoldenlight.com and click on "Subscribe"
Westjet is an Airline with its head office situated in Calgary, Alberta. Their flight attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining.
Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
On a Westjet flight there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want. Passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
-----------------------
On another Westjet flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
------------------------
On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."
------------------------
"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."
-----------------------
"Thank you for flying Westjet Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
---------------------------
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at an Alberta airport (horse country), a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
-------------------------
After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Ontario, a flight attendant on a Westjet flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
-----------------------
From a Westjet Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Westjet Flight 245 to Calgary. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
---------------------
"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling, stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
-----------------------
"Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Westjet Airlines."
------------------------
"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
-----------------------
"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
---------------------------
And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Westjet Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
---------------------------
Heard on Westjet Airlines just after a very hard landing in Edmonton. The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt!"
----------------------------
Overheard on a Westjet Airlines flight into Regina on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Regina. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
----------------------
Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
---------------------
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"
The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
-------------------
After a real crusher of a landing in Halifax, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
-----------------------
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Westjet Airways."
-----------------------
Heard on a Westjet Airline flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
-----------------------
A plane was taking off from the Winnipeg airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from Winnipeg to Montreal. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax .. OH, MY GOD!" …..
Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee on my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"
One Newfie passenger yelled, "Lard tunderin jezis bye you should see the
back of mine!"
Global Research Feature Article
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Fool Us Twice? From Iraq to Iran
by Marjorie Cohn
Global Research, February 13, 2007
GlobalResearch.ca
It's déja vu. This time the Bush gang wants war with Iran . Following a carefully orchestrated strategy, they have ratcheted up the "threat" from Iran , designed to mislead us into a new war four years after they misled us into Iraq .
Like its insistence that Iraq had WMD, the Bush administration has been hyping claims that Iran seeks nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), however, has found no evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says there is plenty of time for negotiation with Iran .
Bush has sent two battle carrier groups, replete with nukes, to the Persian Gulf and a third is reportedly preparing to follow. In support of Bush's case that Iran poses a danger to the U.S. , three unnamed American officials ceremoniously trotted out metal parts found in Iraq and claimed Iran supplied them to kill our soldiers in Iraq .
This "evidence" - or "packaging," as the Associated Press calls it - doesn't pass the straight face test with most reputable observers. "The officials offered no evidence to substantiate allegations that the 'highest levels' of the Iranian government had sanctioned support for attacks against U.S. troops," according to Monday's Washington Post.
Saturday's New York Times cited information gleaned from "interrogation reports" from Iranians and Iraqis captured in the recent U.S. raid on the Iranian embassy in northern Iraq . They allegedly indicated money and weapons components are brought into Iraq over the Iranian border at night. If those people indeed provided such information, query what kind of pressure, i.e. torture, might have been applied to encourage their cooperation. Recall the centerpiece of Colin Powell's 2003 lies to the Security Council about ties between Iraq and al Qaeda came from false information tortured out of Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi.
Any Iranian weapons in Iraq may belong to the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), a Shiite resistance group the U.S. used to support. There could be old Iranian munitions lying around which are left over from the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s. A former high level U.S. military officer told me it was not uncommon to find large caches of weapons around Iraq . He cited the 2004 discovery of 37,000 American Colt 45 handguns in a warehouse near the Iranian border on the Iraq side, likely procured "when Saddam was our friend." The United States armed both sides in the Iran-Iraq conflict.
The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq , released last week, concluded that Iranian or Syrian involvement is "not likely to be a major driver of violence" in Iraq .
Paul Krugman wrote that even if Iran were providing aid to some factions in Iraq , "you can say the same about Saudi Arabia , which is believed to be a major source of financial support for Sunni insurgents - and Sunnis, not Iranian-backed Shiites, are still responsible for most American combat deaths." Indeed, 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis. But as Krugman mentions, the Bush administration's "close personal and financial ties to the Saudis" have caused it to downplay "Saudi connections to America 's enemies."
American troops are still fighting in Afghanistan . Yet the Bush administration hasn't complained about the Taliban attacks on Afghanistan that originate in Pakistan , a country with documented nuclear weapons. Of course the Bush administration is cozy with the Pakistani regime.
The government of Israel , which also has nukes, is fueling the call for an invasion of Iran . On February 7, the Los Angeles Times cited Israeli politicians and generals warning of a "second Holocaust" if no one fails to prevent Tehran from acquiring nukes.
Israel would like to start a war with Iran and supports this desire by citing a quote from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Israel should be wiped off the map. But this is an erroneous translation of what he said. According to University of Michigan professor Juan Cole and Farsi language analysts, Ahmadinejad was quoting Ayatollah Khomeini, who said the "regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." Cole said this "does not imply military action or killing anyone at all." Journalist Diana Johnstone points out the quote is not aimed at the Israeli people, but at the Zionist "regime" occupying Jerusalem . "Coming from a Muslim religious leader," Johnstone wrote, "this opinion is doubtless based on objection to Jewish monopoly of a city considered holy by all three of the Abramic monotheisms." Iran has not threatened to invade Israel .
Indeed, only 36 percent of the Jews in Israel told pollsters last month they thought a nuclear attack by Iran posed the "biggest threat" to Israel . Americans concur. Seventy-five percent want negotiations in lieu of war with Iran .
Yet Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, all beholden to the Israel lobby, have bought into Bush's dangerous rhetoric about Iran .
It would be sheer lunacy to make war on Iran . Three former high-ranking U.S. military officers and a coalition of 13 British think-tanks and faith groups have warned that an attack on Iran would have disastrous consequences.
Bush probably won't ask Congress to bless his Iran war. He will provoke a confrontation and then claim we have to fight back. Last year, the New York Times documented a January 2003 meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair, where Bush "talked about several ways to provoke a confrontation [with Iraq], including a proposal to paint a United States surveillance plane in the colors of the United Nations in hopes of drawing fire."
A nuclear attack on Iran would violate U.S. obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Any attack would violate the U.N. Charter. All treaties we ratify become part of U.S. law under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Twelve European, international, and U.S. legal and human rights groups issued an open letter warning of the illegality of any offensive military action by the U.S. against Iran. (http://www.nlg.org/news/statements/Military_Iran_2007.htm ).
Congress has tied itself in knots over a non-binding resolution on Iraq . If our elected representatives responded to their constituencies instead of the Bush gang's fear mongering, they would stand up to him and pass a modern day Boland Amendment forbidding military action against Iran .
Marjorie Cohn is a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, president of the National Lawyers Guild, and the U.S. representative to the executive committee of the American Association Jurists. Her new book, Cowboy Republic: Six Ways the Bush Gang Has Defied the Law, will be published in June.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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http://www.dailyreckoning.com/Featured/Green2507.html
Thirty-Six Sure-Fire Signs That Your Empire Is Crumbling
by David Michael Green
So. You've built yourself an empire, eh?
Well, bully for you!
What's next, you ask? Well, now you've got to do what everybody does when
they have an empire, of course. You've got to worry about it falling
apart, mate!
But how to tell for sure? Let me see if I can be helpful. Here are some
rules of thumb to keep in mind, thirty-six sure-fire indicators that your
empire is falling apart:
+ You know your empire's crumbling when the folks who are gearing up their
empire to replace yours start blowing up satellites in space. And then
they don't bother to return your phone calls when you ring up to ask why.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when those same folks are cutting deals
left, right and center across Asia, Latin America and Africa, while you,
your lousy terms, and your arrogant attitude are no longer welcome.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you're spending your
grandchildren's money like a drunken sailor, and letting your soon-to-be
rivals finance your little splurge (i.e., letting them own your country).
+ You know your empire's crumbling when it's considered an achievement to
pretend that you've halved the rate at which you're adding to the massive
mountain of debt you've already accumulated.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you weaken your currency until it
looks as anemic as a Paris runway model, and you're still setting record
trade deficits. (Hint: Because you're not making anything anymore.)
+ You know your empire's crumbling when "the little brown ones" (thank you
George H.W. Bush - certainly not me - for that lovely expression) in
country after country of "your backyard" blow you off and proudly elect
anti-imperialist leftist governments.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you can't topple those governments
and replace them with nice puppet regimes - like in the good old days -
even if you wanted to. And you badly want to.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when one of their leaders comes to the
United Nations and makes fun of your emperor, calling him the devil, and
joking about smelling sulphur where he just stood. And though a few folks
cringe, everybody laughs.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when just about your entire military
land force is tied up in a worse-than-useless war launched on the basis of
complete fabrications, that every day is actually making you less - not
more - secure from external threat.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when almost half the soldiers in that
war are high-paid mercenaries, and you don't dare institute a draft.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you send soldiers into war with
two weeks training and a lack of armor, and then you keep them there for
three, four and five rotations.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when a member of the Axis of Evil can
test missiles and explode nuclear warheads, and all you can do about it is
mumble some pathetic warnings about how they better not do that again or
there will be consequences.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you even think that there is an
Axis of Evil.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when a rag-tag military hodge-podge of
irregulars has you pinned down in an endless fight you can't win, but also
can't lose.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you're too dumb to even ban
Humvees as a first step toward ending your dependency on a foreign-owned
crucial resource.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you trade your prior moral
leadership on human rights issues for global disgust at your torture,
'extraordinary rendition' (a.k.a. kidnapping for torture) and the
dismantling of nine centuries worth of civil liberties progress.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you blow off international law
that you once helped create, and undermine the institutions of
international governance that you once helped build.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when opinion polls confirm that every
month you're more and more despised throughout the world.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you can't even pull off the
hanging of a tin-pot murderous former dictator without turning him into a
hero.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you're the richest country in the
world, but nearly 50 million of your people don't have basic health care
coverage.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when the World Health Organization
ranks your healthcare system 37th 'best' in the world, just above
Slovenia, and just below Costa Rica. (And far below Colombia, Cyprus,
Saudi Arabia and Morocco.)
+ You know your empire's crumbling when instead of making it easier for
citizens to obtain a higher education, you're making it harder and more
expensive.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when your government gives tax breaks
to industries as a reward for exporting your jobs elsewhere.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when the so-called 'opposition' party
can't even turn that obscenity into a viable campaign theme and use it to
clobber the worst emperor in your history.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when your middle class has been
stagnant for three decades, while the wealth of the hyper-rich continues
to climb through the roof.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when your reaction to that is to
exacerbate the problem by enacting tax policies that massively increase
further still the gap between the rich and the rest.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when the predatory class has taken over
your government and is stripping the country of everything not bolted down
to the floor. And then it sells the floor itself, as well, to your rivals.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when you're spending tens of billions
of dollars you don't own on new nuclear warheads and space weapons that
don't work, to be used against an enemy you don't have.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when one of your cities drowns and your
government does next to nothing before, during and after.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when a massive environmental nightmare
is looming around the corner, and your emperor not only ignores it, but
claims it isn't real while taking steps to exacerbate it.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when your emperor is warned by a CIA
briefer of an imminent terrorist attack of vast proportions, and responds
by remaining on vacation and dismissing the briefer with the words: "All
right. You've covered your ass, now."
+ You know your empire's crumbling when the same emperor drops everything
to fly across the country from his vacation home in order to sign a bill
intervening on the wrong side of a personal medical drama involving a
single family.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when gays and immigrants are used as
diversionary issues to keep people from thinking about the pillaging of
their country and their wallets actually taking place. And it works.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when people are getting more religious
and less scientific, not the other way around.
+ You know your empire's crumbling when your political leaders start to be
chosen by dynastic rules of succession.
+ And you especially know your empire's crumbling when the most idiotic
child of one of the least accomplished leaders in its history is not only
crowned as the next emperor, but is even revered for a time by most of the
public as a great one.
Rome? Britain? Spain?
At this rate we'll be lucky to end up like Belgium.
_______________
Editor's Note: David Michael Green is a professor of political science at
Hofstra University in New York. He is delighted to receive readers'
reactions to his articles (_dmg@regressiveantidote.net_), but regrets that
time constraints do not always allow him to respond. More of his work can
be found at his website,_ www.regressiveantidote.net_.
