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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PiMac who wrote (33460)	3/29/1999 10:41:00 AM
From: nihil	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 108807

One result of colonialism and African slavery is the growing nonwhite populations of the United States and Europe. The growing racial diversity of the rich countries has accelerated, rather than retarded, growth of democracy and human rights in these countries, making them stronger and more likely to survive and federate economically. The economic federation of Europe has accelerated, rather than retarded, the growth of international free trade, and has enhanced trade and political relations between EU and the US. Current conflicts (Banana war, beef war) are mere residuals of colonialism and nationalism that are being worked out and resolved and will disappear, rather than cracks that will lead to dissolution of the trade structure. The economic federations (EU, NAFTA, ASEAN etc.) are not aggressive nor eager to expand. Applications to join or associate require the applicant to become more democratic and politically stable. Joining requires political, as wwll as economic, cooperation with other members. But there comes a point where membership is imperative for the country to advance. The inside-the-federation specialization of national economies makes the federation stronger over time. The give-and-take equitable treatment of members makes secession less and less likely over time. The economic federations, surrounded by associated non-members, applicant nations, and political and military allies, and often by populations linked by migration may not even look narrowly at its members' interests in making decisions. UK is a member of EU, but over the centuries, UK's people have migrated to US, Australia, Canada, etc. and the descendants of these migrants (many originally expelled or exiled) have powerful sympathies for the UK ("blood is thicker than water"). In the past, migrants sometimes helped national independence of their country of origin (the American Irish come to mind) but today the migrants are likely to insist that their country of origin be treated favorably in economic and migration terms (Mexican-Americans). Growing political democracy, migration, nondiscrimination, respect for human rights all can contribute to a much more peaceful world. In the face of these developments, the attempt to build a powerful traditional state by an adventurer or conspiracy -- a single bundle of closed economy, dictatorial polity, and aggressive war powers -- with a diverse population and exploitative class system and redemption of "lost lands" or irredentism -- is doomed to failure. Military expansion (e.g. invasion) disturbs alliances and trade and threatens neighbors, and human rights, and the great, lumbering, slow to react alliance of the free world assembles its enormous power to crush the aggressor (which cannot win if it has been rotten enough). Each success makes the alliance more self-conscious and more powerful. In assembling and reinforcing the alliance of the free world, the United States of America plays an essential leadership role. It may not coerce or force anyone to join. It bears a burden of coordination and sacrifice. It does not always agree internally about the steps it must take. But when it is in the right, supporting independence and integrity of politically decent states, supporting the autonomy of peoples who respect the rights and equality of others, extending human rights, defending the oppressed, opposing genocide and ethnic cleansing -- the United States can lead the alliance of the free world to protect, and to extend when possible, peace and freedom through the world.