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I have come to the conlusion that US might is overblown, a paper tiger.

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posted on Apr, 10 2005 @ 08:42 PM
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Case In Point


Originally posted by BANGINCOLOR
...............and this has what to do with the war on terror??????

It establishes that the majority of the War on Terror has nothing to do with troops in combat.

Rather, that most of the War on Terror is a war of words, and that most of them aren't true.



posted on Apr, 11 2005 @ 09:43 PM
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I'd like to hear from the person that started this post, what does the US being a paper tiger have anything to do with the war on terror? I saw no reference to the war on terror in his original post. Try to put your mindless rantings in the correct forum.

How about the "I'm from dink, pussy, useless, neutral country and I'm jealous of the United States" forum?



posted on Apr, 11 2005 @ 10:56 PM
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I just read a report screaming everything Blobber is posting about back from 1994. The predictions were the same and ridiculous. You have failed to realize, not just your flawed understanding of economics, but of the fact that 100 years ago Saudi Arabian's were nomadic desert dwellers. The EU just released their currency into the market four years ago. Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Canada I might add would crumble if we crumble. The Euro would be valueless as it's volatitlity and value is based on our paper dollar - which is backed by nothing but motion. What you are in fact suggesting blobber is that our economy, forget the bubble, must come to an absolute standstill and with it the world. You expect this to happen without predetermined military intervention? The Japanese had enough sense to wage war for resources - you think we wouldn't do the same? What do you think Iraq is all about places to golf?

The only bubble were seeing is the inflamation of my testicles from my gajolies being squeezed by these gas prices!



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 05:02 PM
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Sorry, didn't went to this site earlier, and I cannot answer everyone here.

Anyway, what has this to do on the war on terrorism someone asked? Simple, the consequence is that America should realise that she doesn't have enough room anymore to act unilateral, and should understand that we are heading to a multipolar world (as stated in my initial post) and therefore she should build/strengthen the foundations of multilateralism.

Regarding, the economy. Like I stated earlier I don't have the motivation or time to discuss about macro-economics here. But I want to add the following.

Ask yourself why Paul Volcker stated that we will have a 75% chance of a dollar crisis within 5 years. Also try to understand why Steven Roach, chief economist of Morgan Stanley (one of the biggest investor banks) stated -in his own words- we will have a 90% chance of an economic armageddon in 2005. It's no coincidence that BIG investors such as Warren Buffett has put billions, and billions in foreign currencies simply because -as they have more or less stated- they don't have confidence in the US economy for the long run (just do a google then you will understand).

To the one who said that these warnings has been given in the past- then I would like to know which warnings you are refering to? Also weren't the warnings given in the 80's right? Wasn't there a recession in the 80's?

So, I believe we are withnessing a shift in what economists call "natural equilibrium", which will eventually lead to a multipolar world. I hope the shift will be gradually.

Often people still have the perception that the US is almighthy with regards to technology and that she can always outclass her competitors. It is true that the US appears to have nifty classified technology, however in the open market she has an advanced technological product (ATP) deficit since 2002. In 2004 the ATP deficit was -37 billion dollar. Now, with which competitive factor can the US compete? How can the US maintain her relative superiority?

Globalization (the hegemony of capitalism) is the driving force, it redistribute, and let wealth, technology and culture converge and "grow".


Blobber



[edit on 14-4-2005 by Blobber]



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 08:39 PM
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Originally posted by cjf
A nation's trade deficit is determined and driven by the flow of investment capital funds into or out of the country of question, in this case the US. And those flows are determined by how much the people of said nation save and/or invest--two variables that are marginally, and insignificantly affected by trade policy. The nations with high investiture quotents are attractive to its' investors, not a bad sign at all. And btw, why would you want to run a surplus! Brush up on Hume and Adam's for some history.

Very simply put, it is an accounting equation, the T-bar equates and reads as such:

Savings(S) -less- Investment(I) equals Exports(E) -less- Imports(I)

detailed information pages.stern.nyu.edu..." target="_blank" class="postlink">here

If you do not move the capilal account pmt into the ledger later one will currently recieve a negative amount...the 'deficit', a simplification.

A trade 'deficit' reflects the ecomomic prowess of the country indicated, as case of the US it is insatiable and huge. The US is purchasing goods from around the globe, good, the US is amassing wealth, keeping its' domestic prices in line by providing competition (another topic) all the while capital investment is driving this negative number. Very, very far from dreary for the US.



I am not talking about the accounting rules of the balance of trade. Look at the NIIP (net international investment position) of the US, and see my reply above.

Blobber

[edit on 14-4-2005 by Blobber]

[edit on 14-4-2005 by Blobber]



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 11:24 PM
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Originally posted by Blobber
Also try to understand why Steven Roach, chief economist of Morgan Stanley (one of the biggest investor banks) stated -in his own words- we will have a 90% chance of an economic armageddon in 2005. It's no coincidence that BIG investors such as Warren Buffett has put billions, and billions in foreign currencies
[edit on 14-4-2005 by Blobber]


Steven Roach is a deflation stalwart. Warren Buffet simply acted on the EU advancing the dollar - it was a sound business decision. Just like selling short on oil for a 6 month contract is a sound business decision. What you are doing blobber is riding off the "Bubble fear factor" currently being pumped into the minds of investors nationally. Right now the feds want the EU to rise against the dollar. You probably didn't know that. We are in what's called a bottom line recession, contrary to what you read in the paper (don't read the papers). Notice unemployment is up in main EU states? Try foreign economics rather than Roach economics.

Unemployment is low and the feds are tee-totaling the line with every trick in the book, Warren Buffet, "I'll buy that for a dollar." Here's more for you. Our dear President is currently establishing his library, on a main highway I might add, and he certainly doesn't want to tarnish his already historical image of Babylon conqueror by having the U.S. economy implode. Thats why you are currently hearing our dear senators saying we still have too much of a surplus and need to spend it so its not sitting "dormant," if you believe that money in the hands of Republicans can do such a thing.

The real American bubble is why the hell are we as American citizens paying 50% of our hard earned cash in taxes to a corrupt irresponsible, fiscally challenged government? We went to war with Britain for much less. The squeeze is on and our Roman, I mean democratic, D standing for dirty, government will continue to take advantage of working men and women life savings. How's that for a bubble? Hey I love ya until you screw me seven times over, laugh while doing it, and refuse to make ammends.

Our Social Security has been spent and the republicans are crusading tax efficient savings plans for American's who are too irresponsible to save vacation money (myself included), let alone for 30 years worth of savings, while at the same time, in pure Roman guise, granting themsleves unlimited tax relief, over-paid salaries, ludicrous pensions funds, and full blown premium health benefits, while the average 65 year old American lives off $900 in social security with $400 in medical bills.

It's a great idea to let U.S. citizens have access to our retirement money - that way we can spend it all! The whole point of social security, besides tracking every U.S. citizen, was to have funds that YOU couldn't access so you wouldn't spend. So what happens? What does our government do? They spend the greatest American surplus in three years. Imagine if I did that with your life savings? However, no one seems to care. Don't you know that a primary business tactic for employers (I am one so I know) is to give workers as much as they can handle and squeeze as much work and effort out of the bee's as possible?

Continue sleep walking.



posted on Apr, 15 2005 @ 12:23 AM
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I think, Blobber, that you have a very good point about our economy. It is made of paper, literally, but it would better to call it a paper marionette, for reasons I will explain later.

Calling the U.S. military a "paper tiger" though is, forgive me, asinine. We are unmatched in the air. No one even comes close to our current air capabilities. While we are easily outnumbered in the foot-soldier department, we have superior technology, and superior abilities to deploy the ones we have. DARPA funded cybernetic projects already making news leads me to believe that soon our more elite squads will have mechanized suits that make each member so strong, fast, and have such endurance, as to be almost an entire squad's worth of power per person. Our Navy is a bit behind the times, but we're still the most advanced, and the only ones with a decent amount of aircraft carriers and battleships. And really, no one has bothered with sea battles in... anyone? Did we even have sea battles in Korea? Vietnam? I think WWII may have been the last time any serious engagement at sea took place. Our energy-weapon program has managed to get to the point where the only problem left to conquer is a targeting system capable of keeping the beam from dancing around a foot-wide radius when firing from a jet to a ground-target.

Failing all those techs and more, we have huge f---ing bombs that can wipe out entire countries full of people, while leaving their structures intact.

"Paper tiger" indeed!

Try 'Real, Cybernetic, 382,680 kilometer Mega-Tigertron, that can fly and has "laser beams" attached to its head, and rocket launchers for each limb.'

Now our economy is another story, but also not weak. Do not confuse paper with weakness. With a sheet of paper, you can support a lot of weight if you roll it up right.

The true depth of the U.S. involvement in world economies can probably never be truly plumbed, but considering we have to borrow $2 billion a day, just to get by, it looks pretty grim. However, we've got our tendrils within so many aspects of so many economies, it's hard to say where ours ends, and the others begin, and vice versa. I think we have better ability to manipulate the world economy because we are #1 in consumer spending, and--let's not forget--lots and lots of guns. The economy of America is a genetic mutant paper marionette, looking more like something at the end of Akira than sweet old Geppetto.

So in essence, part of your argument is right, however, the U.S. is also very good at re-allocating resources. That rabid consumerism is probably the only thing keeping the U.S. from simply taking over the entire world. Imagine what would happen if, overnight, we went back to a 1940's mentality of rationing, victory gardens, and recycling everything as much as possible, and then diverted all the extra resources to "The War". With the infrastructure, factories, technology, and storehouses we have at our disposal, every single resource saved could be put to use within days, if not hours.

A lot of money goes "missing" as well. The Pentagon loses 2 out of every $3 allocated to it, and is assigned many many billions of dollars a year. Government contractors give outrageous demands 4 to 100 times the normal price. A little efficiency, and we'd never have to borrow a dime, and give our debtors the finger, and STILL continue our rabid consumerism.

Sooo... in essence, yes, the economy is messed up, but it's that way for a reason.



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