You really go for the happy-slogans alternative to any original thought, doncha? YAN simplistic worldview tossed out while you mock simplistic worldviews. Par for the course. If your Rambo attention span can manage it, here's a soup\ufffdon of recent past events -

In The Revolution of Nihilism: Warning to the West, Hermann Rauschning postulates early-on the reasons for the vagueness of the 'official' NSDAP policies / intents, even at the elite insider level. Only Hitler and a few, perfectly understood that: the 'Real Plan' was No Plan at All

but.. something new in the world (?!) which the author calls, for want of a good synonym - dynamism. - The object was to mantain a perpetual state of -uncertainty- both inside the Reich and everywhere else (possible). The ersatz name was of course revolution - but unlike that idea: there was no hoped-for agenda to achieve. (Just false ones which altered often). The 'revolution' catchphrase was sufficient to keep the adrenaline flowing in the mouth-breathers - the German kids who had never Owned a pair of shiny boots and good-quality clothes / a real uniform! / in their lives.

The actual aim was not merely acquisition of power over certain countries with certain physical boundaries - as all along in previous "wars". In fact, even the idea of "The Greater Germany" was not about literally expanding the map borders. More subtly, it wasn't even so much about creating puppets (except tactically, transitionally) - as about dissolving all world 'nation boundaries' by-any-name.. by a process (!?) of confounding process!

This via ignoring the common "decencies" such as: making a treaty (nice tactic) and also honoring it a second longer than the next random step demanded. And all the rest of the machinations which most here are at least approx. acquainted with re ~'32 through WW-II.

Rauschning writes, near the end of the book (which is publ. just prior to the invasion of Poland) - excerting from ~ pp 245+

..Nothing is more characteristic of this march of the German revolution; nothing, perhaps marks the revolutionary character of National Socialism more plainly than the sending out of apostles under the leadership of Herr Bohle, the head of the National Socialist Auslandsorganisation (Foreign Organization). The march into the world did not take place by chance, or simply through the ambition of young men to play a part -- though the (Nazi) leaders always take careful account of ambitions and personal rivalries. This march into the world ws organized with immense resources. It resulted in the formation of a vast network, an international propaganda and revolutionary organization, making use of middle class personages who were not initiated into its actual purposes; that was not essential.

This universal preparedness has already brought (Nazism) an undoubted tactical success. But the real successes have yet to come. The extentof the network is shown by participation in politics (of Nazism) in Spain and Brazil, in the far East and in Africa, in Asia Minor and in the United States, and, of course, in all European countries
[...]

Elsewhere the author points out the non-necessity of "hegemony" in the classic sense - for all is mere tactics within every planned posturing, each intended to waste minimal resources while confounding the usual international political presumptions.

Point? Simply that - the US need not bear any comparison with the Roman Empire (or Nazi dreams either - which were about a quite different form of influence), for its Power to be integrated into whatever locale one wishes to find on a map.

"Businessmen" are a good enough simile for the Auslandsorganisation. Gradual insertion of McDonalds-ism and other US habits will suffice nicely for any premeditated Master Plan of 'conquest', aided from time to time by more serious forms of sabre-rattling and economic pressure.

I believe.. that something ~like this plot-line lies in consciousness - behind the resistance to US omnipresence in the world. Naturally a plethora of other models for Why We Are Suspect [?] would be offered -- prolly not this one. (How many have ever heard of Hermann Rauschning ??)

Oh yes, slight detail: it didn't work then. Larger detail: Oh Yes it Was Working! - read up on the Bunds in Murica, Father Coughlan et al - lucky Lindy. Popular! (Since when does flying a machine == social wisdom?) Note the natural gravitation towards Authoritarianism of ever-present groups in the US - so visible thus far in the not-much contested Heil Ashcroft Patriotism Act etc. 'Fascism' in Murican thought is explored by more than just Sinclair Lewis, and it isn't new.

Anyone can PhotoShop-out the spawn of Mar\ufffda Anna Schikelgruber, and wonder at a mere extrapolation of events just prior to Poland. Imagine a much more gradual assimilation of nearby and not-so nearby groups: ideologically and w/o many shots fired in the (intentional shows of distraction). Imagine NOT having made the fatal error of war on two fronts (Operation Barbarossa) !!

It may be 65+ years later, and maybe not everyone alive today has paid all that much attention to the subtleties of the mechanisms of Nazi spread - but IMhO enough have done so.

In this context I dismiss the jocular fawnings of your young lad with a Big column-head - and an imagination that he knows why: all those who are nervous about US, just don't understand the situation or they'd Love US.

Today Bush & [oil]-Co. are spinning YAN rationale to rush into first-strike, as each previous one - demonstrates no actual Need for panic-action next. This while daily discarding previous malleable 'reasons' ... for each stage of this Endless War for Peace (Afghanistan (bin-L? Who he?)).

Ready also to discard today's rationale.. for the next er domino in a chain of events profitable Only to the arm$ merchant$ and undertakers. Fatal to needed social expenditures in the US. Certainly profitable later-on for the [oil] Interest-owners and our UAVS (not the planes, the Urban Assault Vehicles).

We so love the jingoistic rationales, though - Bush just may Get Us his endless next Warz with unintended consequences - beginning just after the body counts. What a surprise ...


Ashton

On my first trip, driving in Mexico with Mex-US sweetie, I got the mini-history of PRI - kept in mind as I saw first-hand the conditions and the miniscule rich + vast majority. "Institutional revolution" indeed - like most pol-babble it was the precise opposite: read reactionary for "conservative" (even Mexico at least skipped.. the absurdity of calling that 'compassionate' - but we'll swallow anything).

I do so hope that the mordita culture is dying out at a decent rate; it was is? too widespread an institution ever to kill in just a few years. Ergo: you never could get 'justice' - a fact I witnessed when involved in a minor traffic mishap (P. drove it into a bank to avoid a driver). While we were at some estaci\ufffdn.. an obv. dirt-poor farmer truck owner was paying his little sop, to get his truck out of hock. Poor bastard; we dared not 'interfere' even to slip him a hundred (not chickenfeed for us either - but lots for him). Then there was the sleeping guard in Barrio de Navidad - with a machine gun on lap..

Anyway, there seems never to have been an intent of the PRI to export (!) its system of subjugation: whereas with the Nazis, that was paramount.

Viva Nuevo Mexico, then..! (no not ours)


Ashton

{ugh} My miniscule sample pales into insignificance. When you think of what is *enough* poverty of body/spirit to cause a pair of parents - much less likely IMO than just One? - to (most probably) Plan such a hideous thing: to raise cash. words fail
Will remember this one. Sadly.

(We were advised Not to drive at night. We did so briefly, twice.) Once, a veritable trip to olden times, sublime. Second - almost offed by a completely dust-covered, unlighted, unreflector-ed dead truck smack in middle of the carretera! / no shoulders per usual.

Idiot had not even a can to light a gas-soaked rag in, or Any source of light! I didn't realize I remembered so many swear words - driver was bigger, but accepted them in the spirit of the fuck-up. TGFS (for Saab) I swerved at last 500 mSec at ~ 50ish; it went where I wanted. Thanks again Swedish engineers who love(d) us. I set out a couple flares and we split.. clammy.

Yeah.. us gringos don't realize shit about what it has been like for lots of people (even In the US.. let alone any place else on the maps which are no longer part of schooling via Pee Cees).



Hey.. kinda amazing we both survived thus far, eh?


Ashton