A falling USA - does history repeat?

[MJM]

With the current falling out of the US and Germany I'm reminded of other great empires destroyed by the germans in the past.
Rome was essentially ended by the germanic tribes if I remember rightly. The British empire by Hitler.
I'd consider the USA to be close to a modern day Rome and they took over where the Brits left off.
The reigns of empires has gotten shorter over time, so how much longer has the US got? Not much by my reckoning.
I think this falling out could be the beginning of the end for the USA.
Anyone else agree?

[Maaja]

It's a very interesting theory but I am not sure do exactly Germans occure their fall. But I am sure that USA will fall soon, all the empires have felt. And that's good and that's what I expect!

[ArgueEverything]

lol, i never thought of it that way.

[IHP]

Hey MJM

are you in Australia? coz a couple of days ago there was an article on this exact thing. comparing Rome to the U$A. I think that the U$ will fall because of oversretching (I hope anyway) if they keep up this cowboy attitude, and invade whoever they want, this, i would hope, will happen.

[Angie]

I remember that article... Sydney Morning Herald. There's an online version of it:
Hail Bush: A new Roman empire (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/19/1032054915705.html)

I'm all curious lately about how Bush got all uptight about Germany's opinion of him and the Hitler comparison. Frankly, if I were Bush, I'd be feeling a tad nervous these days about comments like that - Germany naturally is in a perfect position to be able to see the comparisons for what they are. It's not the first time such comparisons have been brought up, and it certainly won't be the last. If he keeps going the way he is, it's going to become a very common theme.

And while we've got mention of something Australian, here's a little boycott campaign that's recently popped up, in relation to National Australia Bank.:
Boycott NAB - Close Your Account Today (http://www.phrconline.org/campaigns.php?id=1)

[ "I believe that the UIA, through reaching out into the wider Australian community, has been able not just to find a partner in its work but also assist in making Judaism, Israel and Zionism more comprehensible and meaningful to our fellow Australians."
-- Frank Cicutto, Managing Director and CEO of National Australia Bank.]

Don't know about anyone else, but I don't appreciate a bank pushing anything more at me than the cash I requested it withdraw from my account for me.

[MJM]

I'm in NZ and I didn't read the mentioned article. But as Angie said these comparisons aren't exactly new, but I think the germany part is a new twist.

[LeninCCCP]

America is still in its infancy compared to other empires that have exsisted so a fall is very unlikely. You could say that another country could "see our interests fail miserbly" but what country besides China is a threat? there is none unless another "great" dictator comes along to invade other countries and gain more power. The only fall I could see would be from the inside out which is unlikely because white collar workers let the corparations walk all over them. They would rather worry about suing each about sexual harassment and that kind of bullshit.

[Nateddi]

America is not in its infancy. It has already reached empirial climax.

Judging by every imperialist standard except direct colonization, the U.S. empire is the most formidable in history, far greater than Great Britain in the nineteenth century or Rome during antiquity.

In 1993 it included almost a half-million troops stationed at over 395 major military bases andm hundreds of minor installations in thirty-five foreign countries, and a fleet larger in total tonnage and firepower than all the other navies of the world combined, consisting of missile cruisers, nuclear submarines, nuclear aircraft carriers, destroyers, and spy ships that sail every ocean and make port on every continent.

[lostone]

uncle sam is on deth row, and the best thing is that he signed it itself with all the games he played all over the world during the past century... i can only say i'm looking forward to see his soon demise, RUST IN PIECES uncle and don't you ever resurect !

[Guardia Bolivariano]

The US WILL fall and It will be in this century.But let's hope that the country or country's that take their place don't get the same ideas of world domination.

[LeninCCCP]

I still say America has awhile to go in this century it may fall but how likely is. Your opinions mean nothing. And to make this clear I AM NOT DEEFENDING THE U.S. IN ANYWAY. Im making statements based on facts, you cant compare the U.S. to any other great civilizations because no two great civs have fallen in the exact same way. For example...

Rome: Fell from the inside out the Germans just finished it off.
Napolionic Franch: Took Moscow and no one cared and lost troops on the way home.
Great Britain: Still around just not so great.
Russia: America interfered with its intentions and screwed themselves in the ass by electing pussies for leaders.
Nazi Germany: Self explanatory

My point being is... terrorists and poor economics do not equal a falling U.S. its make the sum of its citizens have blind devotion for their country and willing to fight. So dont say it will happen cause it wont. Please think realistically. And even if the stock market crashed nothing would happen except people starving saying how great it was before. The simple fact is most Americans are pussies and sheep.

[peaccenicked]

There are objective reasons why it is hard to get an understanding of modern imperialism. here is one of them. http://pilger.carlton.com/globalisation/articles/58880

[sypher]

Although I too would like to see the U.S. fall in my life time I can't help but worry what will come in its place. And with the growing popularity of Faschism(sp) I question if it is the best time for the U.S. to fall.

[Goldfinger]

Hey MJM, cool avatar! Is it "the temptation of st. Paul"? Whatever it is, it's something by the great commie Dalí!

[MJM]

It's dalis temptation of st anthony. I think it's the best painting ever :)

[redstar2000]

I venture no predictionson this one--mostly because empires often look their strongest right before the end. In 363CE, the Roman armies under the Emperor Julian, having smashed the Germans in the west, launched a devestating attack on the Persian Empire, driving all the way to its capitol (near modern Baghdad). 48 years later, Rome fell! A sobering lesson.