E Nuff Sed

BRIC Is for Real

Americans (esp of the conservative ilk) are upset that their hegemony is declining and soon will be history. But they fail to appreciate how long has it has lasted. For centuries much of the world (with the exception of America) was devastated by slavery (America being a major perpetrator) and colonialism (which was not much better than slavery) followed by the world wars and later by the cold war. It has taken this long for the rest of the world to get up and hit its stride.

If current trends remain, sometime during this century China and Europe will replace the US at the top of the economic totem pole, followed by India, Brazil, Japan, Canada etc.. Russia and the Arab world will fade away along with their oil.

In the age of proliferation of N-weapons "carrier battle groups" are useless. A single N-missile launched from a yatch can obilitrate and entire battle group.

The limits to conventional miltary power has been demonstrated in stark contrast in Iraq where the sole super power has been ground into exhaustion by a rag tag insurgency and is is on the cusp of an humilating retreat.

A multi-polar, trade and economic driven world beckons. The best Americans can do is embrace it as equals and good neighbours. The time of looking down on the rest of us from that shining house on the hill is slipping away; other houses are being built which as as grand.