BIRTH AND GRADUAL DECLINE OF THE US EMPIRE – Part 3

“The United States, as the world knows, will never start a war. We do not want a war. We do not now expect a war. This generation of Americans has already had enough–more than enough–of war and hate and oppression. We shall be prepared if others wish it. We shall be alert to try to stop it. But we shall also do our part to build a world of peace where the weak are safe and the strong are just. We are not helpless before that task or hopeless of its success. Confident and unafraid, we labor on–not toward a strategy of annihilation but toward a strategy of peace.”

Excerpt from JFK’s 1963 Strategy of Peace speech at American University

Five months later, he was assassinated!

Kennedy’s speech is considered one of the most inspiring speeches given by any American President. Unfortunately, his message of lasting global peace is far from the war attitude the U.S. and NATO nations promote.

Because of the apparent threat of an atomic war, Kennedy believed in diplomacy and negotiations as the path to peace. To avert an “accident or false alarm,” there was an open direct line of communication between him and his USSR counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev. They understood that atomic weapons would only be used as a deterrent and never as a means to provoke an adversary. The danger was clear, and the importance of speaking frequently with each other was a no-brainer. Do we have such honest and clear-thinking people in charge of our foreign policy today? No. There is no intention of a peaceful solution to the wars. The dogma of the U.S. Government and the Military Industrial Complex is “War is the Path to Peace,” and with that conviction, diplomacy, negotiations, and communication with our adversaries are off the table. 

The idea that the United States is the greatest country in the world is a concept that most Americans have embraced since the end of the Second World War. As a young boy growing up in New York City during the 1950s, I remember how enjoyable, fulfilling, and prosperous the times were.  It was considered the “golden age” for the American middle class. The U.S. emerged from the War as a superpower, sharing global dominance with the Soviet Union. The American economy was the world’s strongest and played a crucial role in establishing international institutions like the United Nations, NATO, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). American culture, through music, films, and ideologies such as freedom and democracy, has spread globally, further solidifying its global influence for decades. The world admired America, and the concept of it being considered the greatest country in the world was born.

President Barack Obama’s famous phrase “the 21st century is America’s century,” and variations of it he used during his presidency also affirmed that the nation would remain the global leader in the 21st century

A DECISION UNKNOWN TO MANY AMERICANS

In 1989, the USSR was dismantled and divided into 15 independent countries. Russia, the largest country by far, with a languishing economy, was interested in partnering with the thriving Western economies and becoming a NATO member. Considering that there was no longer any threat to their claim to be the most powerful nation on the planet, the United States faced a critical decision. Should it grant Russia its wishes to become a friend of the West or do whatever it takes to make sure the country doesn’t rise again and threaten the newly established U.S. hegemony? In 1991, the U.S. chose the latter option. What followed was NATO expansion to the East, with the addition of 16 countries since 1999, including former allies of the Soviet Union.

The Project for the New American Century (PNAC)

Seeing itself in a unique position as “King of the Hill,” the PNAC was founded in 1997. It was a neoconservative think tank that promoted U.S. global dominance and military superiority. Its core ideas included:

• American Primacy: It argued for maintaining U.S. leadership and global dominance, primarily through military power. It advocated for a firm, interventionist foreign policy to prevent any potential rival from challenging U.S. power.
• Pre-emptive Action: PNAC supported pre-emptive military interventions and regime change to address emerging threats, particularly from countries developing weapons of mass destruction.
• Spreading Democracy: The group advocated for U.S. intervention and military presence abroad to promote democracy, security, and peace and safeguard American interests worldwide.
• Rejection of International Constraints: The PNAC’s vision often includes skepticism of international institutions like the United Nations. The document suggests that the U.S. should prioritize its own interests when necessary rather than relying on multilateral cooperation or constraints imposed by international bodies.

Although the PNAC organization dissolved in 2006 due to declining relevance, internal leadership changes, and backlash from the Iraq War’s failures, various ideologies remain and are the foundation of present U.S. foreign policy.

Despite all the pressing issues the U.S. is facing today (i.e., runaway debt, military overextension, de-dollarization, an emerging multipolar world, uncontrollable immigration, the chronic disease epidemic, and declining life expectancy), a large section of the American public still abides by the concept of America’s greatness regardless of significant indications to the contrary, including the repercussions from a foreign policy that is dragging the U.S. towards a World War that could include the use of thermonuclear weapons.

ISN’T IT TIME TO DROP THE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BULLY TACTICS?

To control and keep other nations in line and accept its authority and policies, the U.S. government, social media, hardliners, and institutions such as the Military Industrial Complex and the CIA continue to use the following bully tactics, previously approved by the now defunct PNAC:

• Economic sanctions that threaten to devastate the economies of nations that refuse to comply with U.S. policies and demands. Presently, the U.S. is sanctioning 25+ countries and threatening to sanction countries that want to join the BRICS alliance.
• Propaganda and information manipulation to control public thought and actions in non-compliant countries
• Surveillance techniques to discover and penalize people who defy established policies          
• Meddling in the domestic issues of other nations, especially regarding elections and policies that do not favor the U.S.
• CIA involvement in dozens of covert and overt regime changes worldwide
• Threats of military invasion if a country does not comply

The above tactics gradually isolate the U.S. as many countries are tired of this aggressive treatment and are trending towards the BRICS, which offers support, respect, cooperation, and equal treatment of its members. The question is, what should the US do to regain global respect and trust?