Collapse Of The American Empire

I've been reading with increasing frequency lately about the happiness of many people across the world predicting the collapse of the American Empire. In these political and governmental views America is viewed as a Roman type empire of Evil.

Even though we are the major supplier of food relief to the people of bangladesh and we have basically done alot of good stuff over the years - like exporting our jobs to third world countries to help them out- we are still pegged in a negative light by some.

We might be heading into a rough economic period, and some of this might have been planned with the falling dollar, so we can make our exports more attractive to other countries.

One thing is for sure, economies such as America are driven by oil. It is the basic need for this stuff that finds us in the middle-east affairs all of the time. One might believe that the American Super Power is in decline.

But consider one not well known statistic that most Americans do not even know, but will be hearing alot about in the coming decades. America is sitting on the biggest Oil reserve in the world, dwarfing even Saudia Arabia's, that will allow us to continue as a super power until we develope the technology that will release mankind from fossil fuels.

In the 1910's the U.S. government brought under federal control most of the land in the U.S. - in Colorado and other states which contains something called Oil Shale. The purpose was to protect America's future oil reserves. Knowing that they did not have the technology to harvest the oil, development of World oil fields such as the middle east proceeded - which were easier to extract. Oil Shale is a rock which when heated bubbles out kerogen which can be converted relatively easily to gas and oil. There is anywhere from 3.5 - 5.5 TRILLION BARRELS of oil sitting right out there in Colorado. The latter figure of 5.5 Trillion is an estimate if technology can optimize the process of extraction.

The technology needed to harvest this resource is coming to age. Shell states they can do it for $30 a barrel and still make a profit. They've been working on the technology now for 20 years! Obviously environmental considerations must be first - but with oil going to $100, maybe $200 dollars a barrel the forces across the world might cause the sleeping giant to again awaken and harvest their long guarded secret Oil reserve................

With Oil reserves of this magnitude it would be inconceivable and premature for any politician abroad to make assumptions about the fate of America.....

Gentlemen, start your conspiracy theories...::cough::

That’s perfect, 5 trillion more barrels of oil to poison ourselves with. “You can always count on America to do the right thing, after they’ve tried everything else”. Winston Churchill

Take a step back and look at the way the US trades internationally. There is a reason people view it as an Empire. That's because it is. When buying isn't an option, (with unwanted paper money), taking is always there to ensure you get what you want.

I'm so sick of oil.

People may be sick of oil, but until alternative fuel is developed we are all dependent on it in someway. Oil products touch every part of our lives.

I feel as an American we never do anything right in the eyes of the world. May be Americans should stop buying anything made outside the U.S., stop traveling to other countries or giving out foreign aid.

There are already alternatives. It's just a matter of time now. Infrastructure has to change in order to see a real transition, and that takes the co-operation of consumers and producers to keep a supply and create a need.

The US hasn't always been seen this way, and I'm sure they won't always be. But trends have to change before people start trusting The Giant Consumer again. Fair trade and keeping with existing trade agreements would help. And it's not just overseas dealings either. Have you heard anything about cross border shopping since the dollar rose? The American trade network only seems to play fair when the deal works in their favour.

Do you honestly have a hard time understanding why the United States isn't the world's golden child anymore? You pretty much said it all right here.

Smug, self-important, and only willing to play if you know you're going to come out on top.

Not smug--Proud YES--I know we have short comings. But back to the oil--if it is true that the US is sitting on that much oil. And the US becomes a major supplier will the rest of the world call us an evil, selfish nation because we won't give the stuff away? YOU BET THEY WILL.

Yep. And your Nation has earned every speck of its reputation. Like I said. With an attitude like that, the US will never regain the respect of Western Nations. Military force and trade embargoes. Wow, talk about social skills. Living in denial about it doesn't change the way the world percieves the US.

Well said as usual, not-so-oldravan. The story that always kills me is when I hear someone say, that they hate us because of how much we have. As appose to how we got it. I’m sorry, but people just don’t go around killing each other without a reason.
I’ve sad this before, and I say it again, (we learned how to be “imperialistic” from the best…the Brits. Who learned it from the Romans, and so on down throughout history?) I mean these days hypocrisy has become an “art form" in this country!
I can’t stop my head,
JC

It's not a matter of hating Americans. I certainly don't, and I don't think anyone who knows American people do either. But the way the nation is run makes my blood boil.


I'M A HAPPY PERSON!!! Please believe me. I may sound like there's a stick up my butt, but I'm not angry when I post.

You're OK.

Once in a while every American should listen to a voice from outside -- folding ourselves in is the very worst thing we can do, and it's a pity we got so used to our two big oceans cushioning us for so long, because that doesn't work any more and never will again. I spent a very hairy year (1981-82) in Germany, long ago, and a very active and hectic year it was in world affairs. I will never look at things only as an American again. I have had a burr under my tail for a very long time, on how long it has taken us to get around to even considering the Kyoto accord. If we don't think, and think hard, about the way the rest of the world perceives us and our behaviour, we are going to die a horrible, isolated and shrivelled death as a nation -- unless it gets violent, which is hardly an improbable scenario either.

I beg to differ, a least a little; because we Americans have been allowing our government “in our name”. May I repeat, “In our name” to covertly manipulate the so called third world countries for as long as I can remember. Except now we don’t even bother with being covert about it, we just bomb and steal what ever we want!

The only problem is that now, these so called, third world countries are beating us at our own game, (and perhaps rightfully so). Remember the “Dream Team” being knocked off early in the last Olympics. (I mean we’re talking Basketball)!

You know, I don’t what the answer is oldraven, but I do know that what we’re doing now, sure as hell isn’t it. (Not that I believe in hell.)

You know if we could harness all that boiling blood out there. We might be able to solve the energy problems we have.

Always nice reading your stuff,
JC

PS: Maybe a better way to say it, and I know I’ve said it be for, and that is that I believe that our government, is in fact now practicing “imperialism’ on its own people.

Thanks John/Stoirmeil. An anger fueled nation. There's a thought. I bet Hawaii would have to revert back to candle power.

30/01/08.

Caveat Nova Rome (Beware the New Rome), for like Rome of old the Americans are marching down the road to Imperialism. Of course they do have God on their side after all "In God We Trust". Or is that the same as the Brits with "Dieu et Mon Droit (God is my Right), or the French with Deus Vult(God Wills it), or perhaps the Germans with "Gott Mit Uns (God is with Us.)At least the Romans made no mention of the Gods when they set out, simply "Senatus Populusque Romanus (The Senate and the People of Rome. [SPQR]). The very sight of the Roman Eagle instilled fear and hatered in 10s,of thousnads just as the Stars and Stripes does so to-day in many parts of the world. Millions lay blame on the American people and in most respects this is unjust. It is not the people who should be the brunt of their anger but the American System, its politics and its culture. A system that really hasn't changed since the days of the Wild West.

Camac.

What is it with you self righteous Canadians? If your way is so great? Passiveness! Why are there so many Canadian who are not only living here but becoming US citizens. I have not met one Canadian who was pleased with national health care, or the high taxes. I have met people from different European countries who say they never understood Americans until they came here to live. I hate to think that we as Americans are turning into a bunch of socialist, passive, political correct, tree hugging nation. I don't want the US government taking care of me from the womb to the tomb. I am afraid if the people of my country take on that thought we are going to collapse. So I hope we maintain the "Wild West" and "Don't tread on me" mentality

Gwenlee

PS nothing against Canadians. My best friend is Canadian (in the process of becoming a US citizen, and my daughter works for Canadians. I have heard plenty from them about how Canada works. There again I like Canadians as a whole it there passive political correct government I don't understand.

Even the Canadian Geese love it here. We now have them year round. They seem to love it south of the Canadian Border