The US has every characteristic of a failed state.
The US government’s current operating budget is dependent on foreign financing and money creation.
Too politically weak to be able to advance its interests through diplomacy, the US relies on terrorism and military aggression.
Costs are out of control, and priorities are skewed in the interest of rich organized interest groups at the expense of the vast majority of citizens. For example, war at all cost, which enriches the armaments industry, the officer corps and the financial firms that handle the war’s financing, takes precedence over the needs of American citizens. There is no money to provide the uninsured with health care, but Pentagon officials have told the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in the House that every gallon of gasoline delivered to US troops in Afghanistan costs American taxpayers $400.
“It is a number that we were not aware of and it is worrisome,” said Rep. John Murtha, chairman of the subcommittee.
According to reports, the US Marines in Afghanistan use 800,000 gallons of gasoline per day. At $400 per gallon, that comes to a $320,000,000 daily fuel bill for the Marines alone. Only a country totally out of control would squander resources in this way.
While the US government squanders $400 per gallon of gasoline in order to kill women and children in Afghanistan, many millions of Americans have lost their jobs and their homes and are experiencing the kind of misery that is the daily life of poor third world peoples. Americans are living in their cars and in public parks. America’s cities, towns, and states are suffering from the costs of economic dislocations and the reduction in tax revenues from the economy’s decline. Yet, Obama has sent more troops to Afghanistan, a country half way around the world that is not a threat to America.
It costs $750,000 per year for each soldier we have in Afghanistan. The soldiers, who are at risk of life and limb, are paid a pittance, but all of the privatized services to the military are rolling in excess profits. One of the great frauds perpetuated on the American people was the privatization of services that the US military traditionally performed for itself. “Our” elected leaders could not resist any opportunity to create at taxpayers’ expense private wealth that could be recycled to politicians in campaign contributions.
Republicans and Democrats on the take from the private insurance companies maintain that the US cannot afford to provide Americans with health care and that cuts must be made even in Social Security and Medicare. So how can the US afford bankrupting wars, much less totally pointless wars that serve no American interest?
The enormous scale of foreign borrowing and money creation necessary to finance Washington’s wars are sending the dollar to historic lows. The dollar has even experienced large declines relative to currencies of third world countries such as Botswana and Brazil. The decline in the dollar’s value reduces the purchasing power of Americans’ already declining incomes.
Despite the lowest level of housing starts in 64 years, the US housing market is flooded with unsold homes, and financial institutions have a huge and rising inventory of foreclosed homes not yet on the market.
Industrial production has collapsed to the level of 1999, wiping out a decade of growth in industrial output.
The enormous bank reserves created by the Federal Reserve are not finding their way into the economy. Instead, the banks are hoarding the reserves as insurance against the fraudulent derivatives that they purchased from the gangster Wall Street investment banks.
The regulatory agencies have been corrupted by private interests. Frontline reports that Alan Greenspan, Robert Rubin, and Larry Summers blocked Brooksley Born, the head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from regulating derivatives. President Obama rewarded Larry Summers for his idiocy by appointing him Director of the National Economic Council. What this means is that profits for Wall Street will continue to be leeched from the diminishing blood supply of the American economy.
An unmistakable sign of third world despotism is a police force that sees the public as the enemy. Thanks to the federal government, our local police forces are now militarized and imbued with hostile attitudes toward the public. SWAT teams have proliferated, and even small towns now have police forces with the firepower of US Special Forces. Summons are increasingly delivered by SWAT teams that tyrannize citizens with broken down doors, a $400 or $500 repair born by the tyrannized resident. Recently a mayor and his family were the recipients of incompetence by the town’s local SWAT team, which mistakenly wrecked the mayor’s home, terrorized his family, and killed the family’s two friendly Labrador dogs.
If a town’s mayor can be treated in this way, what do you think is the fate of the poor white or black? Or the idealistic student who protests his government’s inhumanity?
In any failed state, the greatest threat to the population comes from the government and the police. That is certainly the situation today in the USA. Americans have no greater enemy than their own government. Washington is controlled by interest groups that enrich themselves at the expense of the American people.
The one percent that comprise the superrich are laughing as they say, “let them eat cake.”
Very punchy and to the point article Paul. I’ve been waiting since a long time to read an article like this written by an American national. What would be the rating of USA if it is listed on the failed states register?
yes)))
Something wrong, it should be article about Russia.
can not agree with you more!
what is it – some kind of paranoid outbreak? complete bs – not a single fact, no sources (which is not a surprise at all). Can hardly believe that this is a KGB paid publication – these guys don’t pay for delusions. so, once again – can anybody explain to me – what is this article???
Dan, you’re wrong.
Here’s a single fact: “Pentagon officials have told the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in the House that every gallon of gasoline delivered to US troops in Afghanistan costs American taxpayers $400.”
And here’s a source: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/63407-400gallon-gas-another-cost-of-war-in-afghanistan-
I could go on, of course, but that alone suffices to demonstrate how your criticism is what is “complete bs”.
Dan,
I usually don’t agree with Mr. Roberts but he did make some valid points and I do know the costs being incurred for the wars. I own part of small firm that has worked SOCOM and JSOC and you would be amazed at cost of certain things. I do believe the article is a bit sensationalized, especially the SWAT angle, but the central point of huge costs for things the American public don’t have a vested interest in rings true. If it had just been Afghanistan I think this would be a different issue. The focus all along should have been Afghanistan and an ideological battle with political Islam largely influenced by the Saudis and the Muslim Brotherhood. Afghanistan has dragged on so long because we had no focus or plan when we should have. I am torn what to do because you can’t just leave the Taliban and Al Qaeda for obvisous reasons. I don’t believe we are a failed state but Mr. Roberts brings up very valid points despite the fact we may not want to agree with them.
Thx
Bill
Hey Dan
Maybe a simple suggestion would be for the Americans to FUCK OFF from other lands . No one believes this crap about terrorism and the Muslims as enemy number one except ignorant brainwashed Christian extremists like yourself. Calling the article a KGB propaganda points out your delusional state of mind. Do the world a favour, spread your extreme Christian views in your own land ,not other lands. First Vietnam and now Afghanistan and Iraq, Fuck Off and leave the world alone. If you ask around America and Americans are the biggest threat and terrorists on this planet .
The author is completely accurate with regards his appraisal of the present-day USA, but is completely wrong in establishing chronology. The US was a failed state from day one. A state that establishes itself on the genocide of the real owners of N. America and usurpation of their land is a failed state. The state that does not deem it fit to have its citizens bear the burden of labor, but, rather, enslaves millions in abject bondage is a failed state. The state that seemingly freed the slaves yet reenslaved them by other means and sent the Dixiecrate masters to rule over the US legislative body and set its agenda to enslave the world is a failed state. The purveyer of violence that dropped nuclear bombs on two cities and its civilians is a failed state. In conclustion, the failure did not begin yesterday, but from day one. So what is the solution? The total dissolution of the failed state. period.
Well, for that, congratulation for you.
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