Forebodings

The military and economic news have combined to create a mood of overwhelming pessimism. Two important forecasters of economic trends, Marc Faber and Gerald Celente, have argued that the "recovery" is nothing more than a stimulus bubble that will burst with devastating consequences.  The latest news from Antiwar.com has a story from the McClatchy papers that General McChrystal, who heads the war in Afghanistan, would actually like 80,000 troops .  The U.S. cannot send more than 30,000 troops without seriously straining military resources.

Noam Chomsky doubts that the draft will return because the draft did not work very well for the military during the Vietnam War. People who are in the military against their will are less compliant and more likely to create difficulties. Nasty colonial wars need volunteers and mercenaries. It is worth noting that while the U.S. does indeed have fewer troops in Iraq since Obama took office, the decrease has been more than offset by contractors. Some are from desperately poor countries like Kenya.  What are they being promised? Money only or the chance to come to the U.S. later on?

Still, I fear a draft.  I have a niece and a nephew who are military age (and two who are already in their teens and who will be military age if the war continues, which seems likely)and even the recession is not producing enough recruits to meet the demand.

Ruminating on this fear brings me back to the economy and Marc Faber.  He predicts that there will be a war--another one and perhaps a bigger one--in a few years as the stimulus bubble bursts, the economy worsens, and Americans become disaffected.  Gore Vidal is predicting a military dictatorship because Americans will become so fragmented that this will be the only way to hold the country together.

It seems to me that all the signs are there of an impending catastrophe.  I am going back and forth with this: Yes, the situaton really is this bad (a stimulus bubble sure to pop, no manufactorig base, huge government debt, two no-win wars, no political solution that doesn't really hurt) vs. No, it can't be that bad, I am exaggerating and giving into anxiety and panic.

It seems to me that this is the time to think about leaving the country, going somewhere, but where?  I don't speak any foreign languages and have no skills that don't rely on English.

America is a dying empire and will not fall without death throes that will embroil the entire world. Remaining here makes me complicit but I AM an American.  I no longer have any regard for my government but I love my land--the Everglades, the forests, the oceans. To leave the land I love would destroy me but if my forebodings are correct, remaining here might be worse.