Posted on 01/03/2007 4:15:54 AM PST by Thorin
If there was a defining moment in 2006, it was the public firing of Donald Rumsfeld, just hours after the Republican rout of Nov. 7.
George Bush was bowing to public repudiation of his war policy, his war minister and, indeed, his war presidency.
Yet one senses voters were doing more than rejecting Bush's leadership on Iraq. They were rejecting the very idea of spilling blood and treasure in crusades for "global democracy," "ending tyranny on earth" or a "New World Order."
By saying, as most of us are saying now, "In the end, it's the Iraqis' problem," Americans seem to be bidding goodbye to all that. And as we turn our backs upon the world, that world – from Europe to the Mideast, to Russia, China and Latin America – seems to be turning its back on the United States.
The disposition to sacrifice for altruistic ends is waning. Like the Brits before us, the Yanks are coming home.
The 21st century was to be the Second American Century. But after we won the Cold War, freed the captive nations, and brought Russia and China into the international community, our victories turn to ashes in our mouths. The world America built now rejects the master builder.
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson just led a delegation, including the chairman of the Federal Reserve and half a dozen Cabinet officers, to Beijing to convince the Chinese to help us reduce the $230 billion trade deficit we ran this year with the Mainland. Beijing sent the Americans home with a bag of stale fortune cookies.
China will continue to siphon off our technology, jobs and plants to make the Middle Kingdom the factory of the world and the first power in Asia, eventually on earth. They seek to displace us.
Why should they not? Why should China abandon a trade policy that has given her 9 percent growth for 20 years for a U.S. policy that has given us the largest trade deficits in history? Why should nations that are succeeding adopt the policies of nations that are failing, and wailing?
Japan, the European Union, Canada and Mexico are also piling up mammoth trade surpluses at our expense, by manipulating currencies and tax codes to subsidize exports and repel imports from the United States.
And we take it. What the election of 2006 demonstrated, in Ohio and Michigan and among the Reagan Democrats, is that Americans are fed up with being played for free-trade fools by the rest of the world.
Moscow is creating an OPEC-like natural gas cartel to squeeze the ex-Soviet republics and as a reminder to a gas-dependent Europe that Mother Russia is watching you. Partly because we planted NATO on her front porch and sought to subvert her in her "near abroad," Russia is reverting to an autarkic and authoritarian nationalism.
Which seems to sit well with the Russian people, as 81 percent support President Putin, more than twice the support President Bush enjoys.
In the Middle East, anti-Americanism is pandemic. So successful were Islamists in exploiting the elections Bush promoted in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt, Bush has ceased to beat the democracy drum.
Latin America has turned sharply left, with Brazil, Argentina and Chile gone socialist, and Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua joining Hugo Chavez and Fidel in the radical-populist camp. Peru and Mexico barely escaped being converted to "Bolivarism."
South Korea, fearful of offending the North, has vetoed any tough U.S. policy. Anti-American demonstrations are common there. But why are the North's nukes our problem, 7,000 miles away? Why are U.S. soldiers still on the DMZ, 53 years after the Korean War?
Andrew Roberts, the pro-American Tory historian, says he has never seen such anti-Americanism as in Britain today. Old Europe is reveling in our misfortunes. The French are pulling out of Afghanistan. The Germans want their troops kept out of the fighting. Yet, U.S. elites are pushing to bring Ukraine and Georgia into NATO, which would require us to send our 82nd Airborne to defend Tiblisi. Though the U.S. Army, warns Colin Powell, is "almost broken," we are adding to our commitments to go to war against a nuclear-armed Russia.
We are living in a dream world. America may yet be the world's strongest nation, but our dominance is detested, our leadership is no longer wanted and our people are weary of playing Atlas.
Events abroad and disillusionment at home are causing more and more to ask whether what we call the American Empire or Pax Americana is really worth the aggravation, the cost and the ingratitude.
Interventionism has failed us. Americans are groping toward a new foreign policy that puts America first and a trade policy that puts Americans first.
When we began as a nation, the republic was feared and loathed by many of the monarchs of Europe. Yet, under Washington, Adams and Jefferson, we went our separate way, and prospered as no other republic. We don't have to run the world. Divestiture is an option.
And, some want this fool to run the country! THANKS, BUT NO THANKS!
I wouldn't want him for a neighbor or a leader.
No, Pat. It is the U.S. elites in the bowels of the Pentagon, State Department and Justice Department who leak secrets and undermine this country at every turn, and the U.S. elites in the media and academia who are the villains in this play.
And US isolationism will allow the Chinese to lead the world.
you both are right. But, pushing Ukraine and Georgia into NATO is only a tiny objective of a much bigger picture. Dahoser, you are on target. They are doing this through the CFR and in England, RIIA. The Bankers and industrialist run the government literally, and we are heading for a signficant change of life toward the end of 2007. The elites; do control all that you say......
That deficit is denominated largely in U.S. dollars, which lose value to inflation. If the Chinese displace us, as Pat contends, their little stockpile will be devalued so quickly it won't be funny at all.
Old Europe is reveling in our misfortunes.
Old Europe is also gasping for life as it's slowly choked to death by invading Muslims.
America may yet be the world's strongest nation, but our dominance is detested, our leadership is no longer wanted and our people are weary of playing Atlas.
Then, dear Mr. Buchanan, please explain why everyone in the world STILL! wants so badly to come here that they will risk life, limb, and everything just to set foot on our shores?
. . .
Mr. Buchanan has been smoking the crack that the MSM has fed him for far too long. Yes, things aren't perfect, but it could be much much worse.
We do not seek to run the world, but when Islamofascist prigs fund raise from our own Islamic citizens , and then use the money to fund a plan which flies 3 planes into US buildings, killing more men women and children than were killed in Pearl Harbor, then we will go after the POSs until every last one of them is pushing up daisies, or whatever infernal flowers grow in the deserts where these rats are to be found. As usual Pat, you are the anti-grist. The person who grinds away at what America is, perhaps that is your only talent, to remind us in direct opposition as to who we are, and who you are not.
How vague. People should know the Devil is in the details. It seems to me any study of history demonstrates that Americans have suffered when they've tried to shut out or ignore the rest of the world. Does Pat think that MADD will protect us against numerous Islamic missiles, the potential of numerous Latin American missiles? Not to mention the danger of biological WMD? In today's world I don't believe a castle wall can be built that is strong to keep those dangers out. Further, it seems to me that a world that is not propped up by the tactical and strategic use of American money will turn to militarism as a way to employ and feed its peoples. And the day always comes when hungry people grow tired of robbing each other and start eyeing that "shining city on the hill".
Unfortunately, when the world has lent you some 40 TRILLION dollars...you're expected to do more than just lay back by the side of the pool, with a margharita and Tivo....an crticize the rest of the world.
http://mwhodges.home.att.net/nat-debt/debt-nat-a.htm
Old nutty Pat...at it again.
Be afraid...be very afraid!
There should be a special place set aside in Hell for those traitors.
does Mr Rumsfeld know he was "fired" ?
No, Pat, you're the one in dream state, now roll over and go back to sleep.
Given that Pat can't run a campaign to win one good conservative state, maybe he should give up world or even national topics and try a topic he knows, like sucking money out of fools on TV and the Media.
Interventionism's a**! You want to sit back and let the Nazis have it, Psycho? Oh wait. Pat baby probably does. Oops. I'm sorry. Did I just accuse the great Pat Buchannan of favoring the current re-surgence of Nazis? Perish the thought oh fellow freepers. But ask yourself this. What would be the difference if he was overtly cheering on the Islam-o-nazis? Well, to Pat's great credit he stands forthrightly against the mighty neo-con. Not worried about the opinions of others. No. He cares not that his aversions to policy postions that might benefit both the U.S. and Israel, (i.e. stopping terrorists), is closely matched by those of..... Well you fill in the blank. Pat's motivating principle is not what is good for America. But what is indifferent or worse towards Israel. If it harms America, but leaves Israel in the cold, Pats for it. If it helps America and also helps Israel, Pats steadfastly against it. Don't believe me? Read his lovely magazine. Two words. Justin Raimondo. 'nuff said. There are other authors, but I can't talk about them. I haven't had breakfast yet.
ping
No wonder Pat is the darling of the America hating leftist media.
If there was a defining moment in 2006, it was "macaca" and Mark Foley's instant messages to teenagers. That's all we heard, over and over. The election of 2006 had little to do with Iraq.
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