“Although the United States is likely to remain the single most powerful actor, the United States’ relative strength — even in the military realm — will decline and U.S. leverage will become more constrained,” says the report, which is the fourth in a series from the Intelligence Council.

Obviously, I don’t give the Intelligence Coucil a lot of weight, but I do believe that they’re on to something, noting that the the world will continue shrinking and natural resources will become increasingly scarce in the years to come. Their argument that the world is in the midst of an unprecedented “transfer of global weath and power” from west to east is sound and as we continue to transfer manufacturing, mining, and intelligence labor to other countries the United States will simply be a military force and holder of other people’s money.  It’s hard not to understand or see the logic in what we’re saying, and the reasons behind it, from this chair, are quite obvious.

Every other country in the world is working to improve their infrastructure and the education of their workforce.  The United States has been focused on increasing the size and influence of its military and banking systems while reducing infrastructure and education.  At the same time, the United States has focused its military to protect other countries and lost sight of the battles that should matter most to the world as a whole.  India and China, looking to become the next world super-powers are also the biggest polluters with the least amount of concern for our environment.  The American military and leveraged United Nations should have those environmental impact front and center, requiring China and India to make equal investments in protecting the environment as they are to spoiling it.

While all this is happening, and other countries continue to grow, they also become challengers for the earth’s limited resources (oil, oxygen, water, food, etc.).  The United States continues financial dependence on the rest of the world will create bidding wars that the US can’t win, resulting in Americans being unable to get or afford the most precious of earth’s resources.

Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone has an answer, but whatever it is, I can assure you that it starts at home.  The United States will have to consider reducing its protection of the world as it looks to protect itself.  We will have to continue investing in infrastructure (generating jobs and wealth) and education, which will enable us to remain competitive in the pharmaceutical, technical and energy sectors.  And, finally, we will have to protect our financial resources.  Consider letting foreign investors lose money (as in the case of AIG) and not bailout other countries at the cost of additional debt to America.  Just my two cents.

Ranter

For those of you that haven’t been following world events, a new Saidu supertanker was captured Saturday more than 450 nautical miles southeast of Mombasa, Kenya.  The MC Sirius Star was home to 25 crew and approximately $100 million in crude oil cargo, not to mention the cost of the new supertanker itself.  In the first real sign of retribution that I’ve read of, the New Delhi Associated Press is reporting that the Indian navy sank a suspected pirate “mother ship” before chasing too attack boats off into the darkness.  These mother ships are apparently little launch pads for the pirates, allowing them to head off into deeper and deeper waters.  Ultimately they will ransom off the crew, boat and cargo, which keeps them in business.

Now, here’s the part that I don’t understand.  It’s impossible for me to imagine that they can hide this supertanker, and reports say that we already know where it is and that there are other captured vessels there as well.  That said, especially considering the financial and environmental risks, wouldn’t it be better to go in with excessive force and deal with this once and for all?  How is this different than terrorism?

It’s time to treat all waters as an international responsibility and countries like America – who defend democracy so fervently in countries like Iraq – lead the charge against piracy, murder and pillaging in international waters.  This threat needs to be reduced before it reaches the point of no return, and before the pirates consider environmental terrorism in addition to financial ransom.  Imagine what this amount of oil would do to our oceans…

Ranter

If McCain is going to use this as his next attack against Obama, he really should take a long, hard look at Sarah Palin and make sure he’s not opening doors that he doesn’t want visited.

Ranter

Interestingly enough, at the same time our candidates are ramping up their tweets, the Army Intelligence idiots folks are suggesting that Twitter may also become the next tool used by terrorists.  Putting two and two together, they’re suggesting that tweets could be “used as an effective tool to coordinate terrorist attacks.”  Interesting, and this coming from a group that needs a phone book sized report to order a toilet seat.  But, that’s a whole ‘nother rant.

Ranter