Well, for one thing, the US is the current empire. So, there is no "void of empire." They would have to be saying, if the US ends its empire, somebody might step into the void.
It might be good to get them to realize that the US is an empire. 100 plus military bases around the world . No nation has anything like that. 30,000 troops in Korea, nuke subs around the world. ohh and thousands of nuclear war heads. The US, like nobody else, has been invading countries and waging giant wars around the world for the last fifty years . _No_ nation has done anything near that in the last fifty years. I don't accept that the USSR was an empire, but if someone says it was. Guess what ? They just ended it, pulled back all their troops from other nations. Charles >>> Brian McKenna <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 01/11/2008 11:16 AM >>> In my classes these days I'm increasingly presented with an argument in support of all US aggression that seems compelling for many . It goes like this. "All nations want protection and all are inherently for power. If they can become an empire they will. IF THE US DOES NOT STEP INTO THE VOID OF EMPIRE, SOMEONE ELSE -LIKE CHINA OR RUSSIA WILL - THEREFORE WE MUST SUPPORT US EMPIRE BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE IS WORSE." It doesn't help that all top Presidential candidates support continued empire. Here's Paul Craig C Roberts on Obama today http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts01112008.html This is, of course, an argument made during the Cold War . .of course it subverts and marginalizes any fight for democracy and social justice, or democratic socialism (which I argue, can help prevent a world of empire). Those who take this path are accused of weakening" the homeland" and strengthening the potential enemies. For you teachers out there, how do you pedagogically deal with this in the classroom? Any thoughts? Best, Brian McKenna ************** Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
