Despite the fact that most of this thread is, for reasons I cannot understand, thoroughly invested with the silly notion of precipitous American decline, the fact is that Europe is the region in trouble.
Given the prevalent anti-American bias here, it is easy to lose sight of an obvious fact.
For your viewing pleasure, an interesting video showing that the election of Sarkozy is, however, a ray of hope.
youtube.com
I remember well the 1980s fixation with the Japanese, which is in many ways identical to the present fixation with a Chinese hyper-hegemon. How they were going to take over the world, bought Pebble Beach and some other golf clubs, a few buildings, a few companies, etc., how they were going to rule the world forever and ever. In a word, America in the dustbin of history.
Yeah, right.
Don't forget that things change, that there is no script, and that freedom is a human need much like food and drink. A country, like China, which represses freedom is headed for trouble no matter how economically successful it might be in the short term. |
