Article

2013-08-20 Africa North

Spengler: World learns to manage without the US

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Uncle Phester 2013-08-20 08:31|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top

#1 Key point from the article that none of US MSM is remotely aware of:

China has a profound interest in Saudi security. It is the largest importer of Saudi oil. America might wean itself of dependence on imported oil some time during the next decade, but China will need the Persian Gulf for the indefinite future.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-08-20 09:07|| 2013-08-20 09:07|| Front Page Top

#2 President Obama has surrounded himself with a camarilla

That would be a dark latte camarilla, with absolutely no whip... to you.

Posted by Besoeker 2013-08-20 09:46|| 2013-08-20 09:46|| Front Page Top

#3 World learns to manage without the US

...and well it should. Most here have issues with large expanding government. Most of which can be traced to the role America assumed at the end of WWII. Even the broad New Deal acts by FDR largely were ineffective in selling the Big Government model. It was the accomplishment of WWII and being left with chaos or commitment by the US that sold the expansion of government that today finally bears the fruit of 'national security' for the destruction of basic constitutional rights. It was the very centralization and concentration of power that was the intent of the writers of the Constitution sought to avoid. They understood at the core of human history was the constant thread for the accumulation of power. They also understood that at the heart of all evil that humans had perpetrated was the exploitation of such power. They choose inefficiency of the division of power over the threat that concentration of power would present. We pay the price for the worlds sins. Let the world pay for their own. If it is a direct threat to us, deal with it. Otherwise, care for your own. Everybody else does.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-08-20 10:05|| 2013-08-20 10:05|| Front Page Top

#4 I fully concur. Time for us to 'go Swiss' for a few years and simply watch the madness. If they get too close, say nothing and take their heads off.... followed by a return to watching.

Posted by Besoeker 2013-08-20 10:08|| 2013-08-20 10:08|| Front Page Top

#5 Build Prompt Global Strike. Keep improving BMD. Build a good follow on to Blackbird. Build nextgen surveillance sats. Shred most of the rest and come home. This will be hugely unpopular in many budget centers, but it is the way to go.

Posted by M. Murcek 2013-08-20 10:18|| 2013-08-20 10:18|| Front Page Top

#6 Oh, I wouldn't mind continuing to help and look after our friends.

So long as they remain our friends.

Posted by Steve White 2013-08-20 11:23|| 2013-08-20 11:23|| Front Page Top

#7 To paraphrase Walter Russel Meade, the US cant get other nations to love us. The US also cant insulate itself from the world by walking away (no matter how tempting.)

The US has problems to solve and interests to maintain. Like it or not, aspects of both are beyond its borders.

Re-defining those interests would be a good start.

Posted by Pappy 2013-08-20 11:41|| 2013-08-20 11:41|| Front Page Top

#8 Re-defining those interests would be a good start.
Given the political dysfunction & polarization in the USA at the moment, that is a non-starter.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-08-20 13:07|| 2013-08-20 13:07|| Front Page Top

#9 Given the political dysfunction & polarization in the USA at the moment, that is a non-starter.

Agreed. Doesn't mean the problems go away either.

Posted by Pappy 2013-08-20 14:05|| 2013-08-20 14:05|| Front Page Top

#10 China has a profound interest in Saudi security. It is the largest importer of Saudi oil. America might wean itself of dependence on imported oil some time during the next decade, but China will need the Persian Gulf for the indefinite future.

The US should frak, frak, frak and let the Chinese have a turn at keeping peace in the mad house and getting crap for their wasted blood and treasure.

Posted by rjschwarz 2013-08-20 14:41|| 2013-08-20 14:41|| Front Page Top

#11 We're not broke because of the military we're broke because of dometic policy. That will have to be addressed.

Posted by Hellfish 2013-08-20 14:53|| 2013-08-20 14:53|| Front Page Top

#12 Can't sit back. Not while the greatest commodity Obama is importing are millions of third world obamabots.

Posted by Uneaper Spairong8790 2013-08-20 15:24|| 2013-08-20 15:24|| Front Page Top

#13 All part of Obama's plan to help shape a multipolar world.

Posted by mossomo 2013-08-20 20:19|| 2013-08-20 20:19|| Front Page Top

23:43 Woodrow Guelph8541
23:11 JosephMendiola
23:02 JosephMendiola
22:52 JosephMendiola
22:45 JosephMendiola
22:25 European Conservative
22:11 Frank G
22:10 Frank G
22:02 European Conservative
21:58 Frank G
21:54 Frank G
21:53 tu3031
21:53 European Conservative
21:51 Frank G
21:50 Frank G
21:19 Pappy
21:18 European Conservative
21:16 European Conservative
21:14 Pappy
21:12 Pappy
21:11 Barbara
21:06 Barbara
20:46 gorb
20:40 gorb