American Power Moves Beyond the Mere Super MUST READ

New York Times ^ | April 27, 2003 | Gregg Easterbrook

[American Jingo]

Stealth drones, G.P.S.-guided smart munitions that hit precisely where aimed; antitank bombs that guide themselves; space-relayed data links that allow individual squad leaders to know exactly where American and opposition forces are during battle — the United States military rolled out all this advanced technology, and more, in its lightning conquest of Iraq. No other military is even close to the United States. The American military is now the strongest the world has ever known, both in absolute terms and relative to other nations; stronger than the Wehrmacht in 1940, stronger than the legions at the height of Roman power. For years to come, no other nation is likely even to try to rival American might. Which means: the global arms race is over, with the United States the undisputed heavyweight champion. Other nations are not even trying to match American armed force, because they are so far behind they have no chance of catching up. The great-powers arms race, in progress for centuries, has ended with the rest of the world conceding triumph to the United States.  

[American Jingo]

Awesome! What a great time to be an American!

[Batrachian]

Newt Gingrich is right. Unless we have a diplomatic corps that is as effective as our military, we will continue to have a great deal of trouble implementing pro American policies.

[alisasny]

I would like to read this does anyone recall the hillary id and password???

[Jim Robinson]

Also posted here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/901273/posts

[nightdriver]

"The great-powers arms race, in progress for centuries, has ended with the rest of the world conceding triumph to the United States."

Oh, I don't know about "the rest of the world." Has Eastebrook polled the governments of 6 billion people?

Let he who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

[backhoe]

Try

annoying37

annoying

as id & password!

[alisasny]

thankyou very much! Going to read right now, it worked!!!!

[El Gato]

Stealth drones, G.P.S.-guided smart munitions that hit precisely where aimed; antitank bombs that guide themselves; space-relayed data links that allow individual squad leaders to know exactly where American and opposition forces are during battle

Ho Hum, that's the "old stuff" the "military industrial complex" was working on in the late '80s, early 90s. Wait 'til you see the stuff they are just starting on now. :) I could tell you, but then I'd have to shoot you. :) ... Well actually I couldn't tell you, since I've been out of that part of the loop for a few years now myslef.

[El Gato]

Of course, this is Bill Clinton's military which he bequeathed to Bush.

As I stated above, all that stuff had it's genesis during the Reagan and Bush I years, not under Billy Jeff. The "pork barrell effect" kept many of the programs just barely alive during BJ's years.

[backhoe]

I just registered there using those... a number of members here have registered at various sites as annoying for both user id & password... tried that, and the site claimed annoying was taken and suggested annoying37, so I used that. We'll have to see how long it lasts; just for the devilment of it I gave them an old email addy which may or may not get kicked back.

[sit-rep]

Not something I would bet my life on. We may be strong right now, but our stupidy is going to be our downfall. As we "Blow our own Horn", we equip communist countries with the means to do us harm, under the guise of global trade. One cannot convince me that China is not going to stick it in our assets one day...

[Thumper1960]

LOL

I told 'em I'm 103 years old, female, a CEO and rich as God. (as if it's any of their damned bidness, anyway.)

Think they'll notice?

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Bump to read later.

[John H K]

One cannot convince me that China is not going to stick it in our assets one day...

There's a gigantic cottage industry of people desperately overrating the PRC military and how close they are to us. And their articles are constantly posted on FR.

Leaving politics and axe-grinding out of it...they are a lot further behind us than most people understand. You need to look past the fevered hype articles you see about this and that weapon China is buying or stealing.

[backhoe]

I told 'em I'm 103 years old, female, a CEO and rich as God. (as if it's any of their damned bidness, anyway.) Think they'll notice?

Believe it or not, there is probably some niche demographic group that fits that description, and you will probably start getting emails from them...

[Owl558]

We should not forget the "speak softly" part as we swagger around with our sticks.

All these great whiz-bang weapons were in place on 9-11 and we still got smacked. We should not cheerlead ourselves into false notions of invulnerability because of our swift victory in Iraq. Our economy is not divorced from the rest of the world and we still need to get along in it. Most of the work ahead of the US falls into the speaking softly category and we should go about these tasks with a firm humbleness. No one likes a loud-mouthed winner. But it is good to know, when it hits the fan, that the US military is there to back us up.

God bless America and do what is right.

[sit-rep]

China has nukes, and threatened us more than once with them. This is enough to give me concern over the fact that we have a 1.3 billion dollar a year trade deficit with them. This deficit is not going to the people of China. It is going to the military.

I am glad you find comfort with not having any able enemies. I am not that smart I guess...

[aruanan]

Newt Gingrich is right. Unless we have a diplomatic corps that is as effective as our military, we will continue to have a great deal of trouble implementing pro American policies.

As I said in a thread about Chafee's whining about Newt's criticism of Powell and the State Department ("The administration just doesn't put a premium on diplomacy," said Chafee):

In other words, the administration just doesn't believe that rap sessions with brutal dictators will move them significantly in the direction we want them to go. The dance of diplomacy only serves to perpetuate their delusion that they are legitimate heads of state on par with the United States and encourages them to continue in the behavior that has brought us to the present state of affairs.