For years now, everyone from Pat Buchanan to hybrid-powered hippies have been warning that America would suddenly find itself on a historical downslope from having been too reckless, too profligate, and too arrogant as an unopposed superpower. Even decent patriotic folk were starting to worry that America was suffering from a classic case of Celebrity Personality Disorder, becoming a nation of Tom Cruise party-dicks dancing in our socks over every corner and every culture in the world, lip-synching about freedom as we plunged headfirst into as much risky business as we could mismanage. And now, bleeding money from endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we're a sick giant hooked on ever-pricier doses of oil paid for with a currency few people want anymore. In the history books of the future, I would wager that this very spot in Tskhinvali will be remembered as both the geographic highwater mark of the American empire, and the place where it all started to fall apart.You have to wonder why it is not on the cover of the New York Times, don't you?
December 15, 2008
Distilling The Essence
Beautiful prose:
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I would wager that this very spot in Tskhinvali will be remembered as both the geographic highwater mark of the American empire, and the place where it all started to fall apart.
I reckon it was Iraq where it all started to fall apart, not Georgia. As for why it's not on the front page of the NYT, well duh! Too real, too bleak and too farking long. I'm only to the end of the first page. Back to it. Slow midnight shift at work. Must read and drink cheap diet cola from Cole's to stay awake!
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