-- On 1 Apr 2003 at 11:48, Mike Rosing wrote:Which is why MAD works. But a regular bombing run on a few oil refineries would put the US in a world of hurt really quickly, enough for them to pull a lot of their troops out of places that happen to be too close to Russia and China. Mexico isn't entirely happy with US policy, I'm sure they could be bribed into letting the other powers use their air and land space for a "limited" attack. The US won't use nukes to retaliate, which was the origin of this line of argument.
If Russia, Chaina and the EU really wanted to, they could use conventional weapons and force the US to at least retreat from trying to rule the world.
This supposes the US is trying to rule the world, which is not apparent -- at least not to the US.
What is "to the US" referring to? To the Bush Administration, to a majority of Congress, what?
To _this_ American, namely, me, it is apparent that Pax Americana is the goal. By my definition of "rule," then, yes, America wants to rule much of the world. No, they don't want to micromanage the details. But they certainly want pliable governments that will not be _too_ democratic (as we don't want Islamists elected) and that will be cooperative with oil interests, military basing requests, etc.
And now that the U.S. is the world's only hyperpower and is willing to spend the money of its citizens in vastly expensive foreign wars, it has decided to launch pre-emptive wars to ensure cooperative governments.
It is economic imperialism, pure and simple. Not the kind that the lefties used to complain about, the so-called economic imperialism of McDonald's and Hollywood and Nike. No, this is the real kind of economic imperialism, where gunboats and bombers are used to implement "regime change" when there has been no demonstrated clear and present danger from a foreign state.
I see nothing in the United States Constitution that supports this interventionist, imperial policy. Certainly no libertarian should be supporting the use of national force to go and change the government of a distant country when its own people have failed to do so.
--Tim May
Getting to Tim May's house in Corralitos: 427 Allan Lane (MapQuest works well). 831-728-0152
From Santa Cruz, south on Highway 1. Take Freedom Boulevard exit in Aptos. Go inland, on Freedom Blvd. Travel about 5 miles, to first stop sign. Take a left on Corralitos Road. At the the next stop sign, the Corralitos Market (good sausages!) will be on your left. Just before the stop sign, bear right on Brown's Valley Road. Cross bridge and then bear left as Brown's Valley Road turns. Travel about one mile to Allan Lane, on the right.
Allan Lane is at about the "360" mailbox point on Brown's Valley Road...if you go too far and enter the redwoods, turn back! Drive to top of hill on Allan Lane. At top, bear left, over a small rise, past a house on the left, then down my driveway. My house will be the white stucco semi-Spanish style, with a red Explorer and black Mercedes in the driveway.
Note for parties: You can park either in my driveway or at the top of the hill and walk a few hundred feet. Don't block any driveways!
From points south of Santa Cruz, take Green Valley Road exit off of Highway 1. Travel about 2 miles to Freedom Boulevard. Turn left. Then right at Corralitos Road.