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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tom Clarke who wrote (17036)	9/12/2000 4:52:29 AM
From: GUSTAVE JAEGER	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17770

I just skimmed through your Quigley link and I feel aghast by the gap between Yankee (neo-)isolationists' mindset and the new global reality.... I mean, like it or not, the notion of a sovereign nation-state enjoying a freewheeling policy undisturbed by, and undisturbing, foreign interests is a delusive daydream. Keep in mind that the so-called nation-state is a XIXth-century fabric whose shortcomings have bitterly become all too blatant over the past ten years (ethnic conflicts, devolution, etc.). Americans who still dream of a sort of American sanctuary isolated from, and not barging in, "alien" spheres, are just out of touch.... and will not make other countries believe that the U.S.A. is such a stand-offish player notwithstanding. The U.S. is not an autarky and while the US market may indeed operate as the world's outlet-of-last-resort, the revenue breakdown of corporate America shows that most US companies depend on Europe and Asia for over 40% of their annual revenues. And when it comes to commodities, raw materials and energy sources, the picture is even more meaningful. Did coffee-addict Americans never wonder why their breakfast "coffee-diet" was so cheap?? I mean, there isn't a single coffee tree on US soil, right? So, how come a cup of Arabica blend costs less than, say, a Belgian beer? If coffee growers could strike a fair deal for their crops then a cappuccino at your favorite local would just skyrocket to $10.... cream and sugar? If anything, just think of the current oil crisis unfolding in Europe: OPEC Action Fails To Cool Oil Prices; Fuel Protests Spread Across Europe dailynews.yahoo.com Now, on the other hand, some isolationists foolishly believe that the US could limit its overseas ventures to its vital interests proper that is, a greenlight for Middle East oil, Congo's cobalt, South-East Asia's sea routes, the Panama Canal, and so on. And, accordingly, a perennial refraining from engaging in human-rights crusades, African trips, peacekeeping and other pinko, UN-minded vagrancies.... Well, I'm afraid that's not how XXIst-century politics will work, folks! As I've said before, we must think of US supremacy (in technology, pop music, cinema, diplomacy,...) as of a whole --you just won't be able to discard the carrot and rely on the stick only. Gus.