I know its the 27th already but I would like to wish everyone who reads this a Merry Christmas. I suppose I should get a head start and wish everyone a happy new year. Personally I'm not one for new years resolutions but if you are, good luck.
Christmas is always such a hectic time. There are so many people to see and any number of functions to go to. This year I had four such functions and while we try to connect as a family I find it hard to actually talk with anyone as there are so many people around and a whole host of distractions and responsibilities. However this year I found myself alone wtih my father in the car for about and hour and we had a fairly interesting converstation which I thought I'd share.
We found ourselves discussing American politics (don't ask me how, because I can't remember for the life of me). Anyway, we were discussing what the Americans might do next if and when they free themselves from Iraq. I personally had heard a Scottish professor talk about the idea of American empire and how during the 19th century those in power in the U.S. spoke fairly openly concerning the notion of a new American empire taking the place of the British empire. According to this proffesor it wasn't until the Americans had gone into the Phillipines around 1898 on a liberation mission and were beat back by the Philipine people that the language of empire ceased to be used by those in power in the U.S.
Being a history student I couldn't help but try and draw some parallels between historical empires and what America was presently doing to see if there were any similarities. The Roman empire was achieved through military dominance. Once Rome controlled an area it would then try to subjugate the people culturally and economicaly. Usually to great effect. The British empire was similar in its methods. The British would conquor an area militarily and then try to subjugate the people culturally and economically. In essence both of these empires would defeat a people then begin the process of making the conquered people like their conquerors. Trying to change the way they thought, lived and interacted.
However I don't think that this model works as a model for how America goes about building its empire (if in fact that is what is happening). The American empire seems to be working in reverse order. It seems to be trying to subjugate foreign peoples culturally and economically first. Anyone can see this to some extent, with Coca-cola and McDonalds in China and every other nation in the world. American TV, movies and music is beamed to all the nations in the world. The American penchant for conspicuous consumerism has spread around the world and therefore so has the products that feed that mentallity. We all (supposedly) need that new cell phone, dvd player, mp3 player, flat screen TV, etc. Each item in some way feeds into the American empire by allowing America to dictate to the world culturally and economically.
One aspect of the Iraq quagmire that the U.S. finds itself in now that scares me is that they were willing to go to war unillaterally for false reasons. 'Coalition of the Willing' aside (in effect 4 nations - U.S., Britain, Poland, Japan), this action seems to be more about subjugating a foreign people militarily when their efforts to do so economically and culturally failed. The obvious question is what country is next? Logically there is no real defence for the American invasion of Iraq when the world condemned Iraq for invading Kuwait. Both incidents are essentially the same.
Obviously I'm not American and I hope that people who read this (American or non-American) will think through the facts rather than toss out knee-jerk reactions and accuse me of hating America. I don't. I don't hate American's either, in actuallity I pity them. They are giving up their civil liberties and basic human rights in an effort to fight an invisible enemy. All of those terror alerts may be real, they may not, but they all have the effect of subjugating the American populace much like America has tried to do to foreign people. There is no free speech, when President Bush says that the press can only ask one question. How is the public to become informed when they are not allowed to question? Of course an uniformed public will in the end ask no questions.
Anyways, it was an interesting discussion that I had with my father. We don't always see eye-to-eye on such topics but at least we can discuss them openly and honestly without fear of judgement. It's Christmas time, the time of year when we wish for peace on earth and goodwill towards men, hopefully it will happen some day. But not this day and not in Iraq. Of that I am sure.
Vespasian (ironic handle, no?)
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