Geo-Politics Is Now Winner Take All

[Cito Pelon]

Simple as that. Winner takes all now.

The die is set. The old Big Five - US, China, Russia, France, and Britain have never cooperated, and now as we speak is no different. There was a window of opporunity briefly on 9/11, but that window is closed tight.

Now it's all about who rules the planet. Now there has to be one ruler. Too late for a coalition of three of the Big Five. No one or two of the Big Five are to blame, and it wouldn't really matter if one or two had the most blame. This coming battle is what many have tried to avoid, but the battle is on us now.

This is now a battle for world supremacy between the Big Five. There's no backing off of it now. Back off of it, and you'll be in 5th place.

If I thought there was the remotest possibility that France, China, or Russia would support the US's goals in geo-politics, I would try again to be cooperative with them. But there is no possibility of that. We'll have to kick their asses. There really is no turning back now. Too bad, we could have been successful as a group.

[mosca]

i don't see where this analysis of the global situation comes from. of course, anyone can see that china could very well be our next big adversary on a hegemonic scale. russia could be a great ally but they're in an economic funk and have been for quite some time. they are in no position to challenge us and if you ask me have been a borderline ally as of late. the french are nothing but wannabes but the EU as a whole are a major competitor.

either way, why do you view it as winner take-all? where does this outlook come from?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

The amazing shrinking dollar

By Robert Kuttner, Boston Globe

I RECENTLY returned from Europe, where the dollar just hit a new low against the euro. The European Union's new common currency, widely disparaged in Washington as a bizarre idea that would never win acceptance, was worth about 90 cents in 2002. Now it costs you $1.33 and is rising. The euro has emerged as a worldwide rival to the greenback. It makes the United States a bargain basement for visiting Europeans, while Europe is staggeringly expensive for Americans.

What ails the dollar? Two things. Our trade deficit grows bigger every year, as does our budget deficit. Both deficits require foreigners to supply capital. The more capital they have to supply, the more nervous they get about the dollar. Lately, private foreign investments in US stocks and bonds have both declined, leaving the United States precariously dependent on two foreign central banks -- China and Japan -- to finance its twin deficits.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/12/01/the_amazing_shrinking_dollar/

http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/media/S-ThereAre2KindsOfBush.jpg

[watermock]

I have never seen somone so stupid. Of course, job growth, inflation and the economy were going to go nowhere. Nothing has changed for LABS.

As an economist that is a major concern, but people like LABS really amaze me. You don't know crap, you just seem to be an anarchist. Here is what is happening you dimwit, there is a concentrated effort to control petrol dollars. While we are helping the world, they stand by, expecting the EU to control currency in their pathetic attempt at a coup.

What amazes me about this dimwit is how he endorses it. You would think LABS would have just a little bit of patriotism but no mas. He's a little chile waving his hands.

I will keep this simple because I am losing my patience. I don't need to tell you about pegged currency in China, I don't need to tell you about the attempt to make the EU the currency for oil, you know it all don't you.

this is pathetic. There are pegs, no they are not POGS with ALF on them you can trade on the international market. POGS have not been established.

[Cito Pelon]

i don't see where this analysis of the global situation comes from. of course, anyone can see that china could very well be our next big adversary on a hegemonic scale. russia could be a great ally but they're in an economic funk and have been for quite some time. they are in no position to challenge us and if you ask me have been a borderline ally as of late. the french are nothing but wannabes but the EU as a whole are a major competitor.

either way, why do you view it as winner take-all? where does this outlook come from?

My analysis comes partly from trying to liven up a dead War & Politics board!!!

But mostly, it's all about world dominance. We have no powerful allies, because they're scared they will be dominated by the US. Do you want to be dominated by France, Russia, Germany, China? They don't want to be dominated by the US, either. So it's a fight to the finish.

You don't think former world powers like France, Germany, Russia, China, they just give up the dream, and be dominated by the US? They're not giving up the dream, and neither are we.

So, dominate them, or one of them dominates us. And each one of them is intent on dominating every one of the other, when all is said and done.

So it's a five-way battle. It's not like this is something new.

I say crush them now, while we still have the strength

[Cito Pelon]

The amazing shrinking dollar

By Robert Kuttner, Boston Globe

I RECENTLY returned from Europe, where the dollar just hit a new low against the euro. The European Union's new common currency, widely disparaged in Washington as a bizarre idea that would never win acceptance, was worth about 90 cents in 2002. Now it costs you $1.33 and is rising. The euro has emerged as a worldwide rival to the greenback. It makes the United States a bargain basement for visiting Europeans, while Europe is staggeringly expensive for Americans.

What ails the dollar? Two things. Our trade deficit grows bigger every year, as does our budget deficit. Both deficits require foreigners to supply capital. The more capital they have to supply, the more nervous they get about the dollar. Lately, private foreign investments in US stocks and bonds have both declined, leaving the United States precariously dependent on two foreign central banks -- China and Japan -- to finance its twin deficits.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/12/01/the_amazing_shrinking_dollar/

http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/media/S-ThereAre2KindsOfBush.jpg

It's a problem. That weakens our ability to manipulate world events. Regardless of the source.

[W*GS]

You don't think former world powers like France, Germany, Russia, China, they just give up the dream, and be dominated by the US? They're not giving up the dream, and neither are we.

Of those four, only France could be considered a global power, at one time. Germany would be a distant 2nd, and Russia and China have never been global powers. The USSR was, to a very limited extent, mainly because it had nukes that could reach every corner of the globe, but nukes as an expression of power are quite poor. Pakistan has nukes, but it can't even maintain control of its own territory, and it's not going to nuke those areas.

In all of world history, only two nations have made it to the status of global power - Britain until WWII or thereabouts, the US since then, partly because those are the only two nations in history that have had navies that could project their power anywhere on the globe.

And what about Japan? India even?

This alpha-male mindset of "dominate or be dominated" isn't becoming or realistic, Cito.