One example: in 2000-2001, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela all publicly stated that they would also sell oil in non-US currency (in addition to, of course, selling in dollars).
Instantly all three countries were labeled “axis of evil” status, and our government became very threatening to all three countries (most obviously Venezuela where we did what we could to destabilize their government and parked our navy right off their shore).
I used to think that it was worth our tax payers’ money to enforce US hegemony, but now I don’t think it makes sense anymore for the benefit of the US tax payer. It does benefit the pro-war industries, and if you work in the “defense” industry then I don’t blame you at all if you support our current system.
Anyway, my perspective is that times change, and we should now push back against the continuous war lobby in Washington, and come up for a new plan going into the future that optimizes for prosperity and security. I believe we achieve security by have the best trained and supplied military on the planet, but keep them at home unless Congress agrees to formally declare war, and going to war has some form of public consensus. I want to go back to being a representative democracy.
I’m pretty sure the only reason the USA is in the SCS at all is because of the amount of weight being thrown around by the PRC (to the detriment of USA allies Vietnam and Philippines).
Instantly all three countries were labeled “axis of evil” status, and our government became very threatening to all three countries (most obviously Venezuela where we did what we could to destabilize their government and parked our navy right off their shore).
I used to think that it was worth our tax payers’ money to enforce US hegemony, but now I don’t think it makes sense anymore for the benefit of the US tax payer. It does benefit the pro-war industries, and if you work in the “defense” industry then I don’t blame you at all if you support our current system.
Anyway, my perspective is that times change, and we should now push back against the continuous war lobby in Washington, and come up for a new plan going into the future that optimizes for prosperity and security. I believe we achieve security by have the best trained and supplied military on the planet, but keep them at home unless Congress agrees to formally declare war, and going to war has some form of public consensus. I want to go back to being a representative democracy.