Empire in decline?

[Itascapark]

"In the lives of emperors there is a moment which follows pride in the boundless extension of the territories we have conquered, and the melancholy and relief of knowing we shall soon give up any thought of knowing and understanding them...It is the desperate moment when we discover that this empire, which had seemed to us the sum of all wonders, is an endless, formless ruin, that corruption's gangrene has spread too far to be healed...that the triumph over enemy soverigns has made us the heirs of their long undoing."
from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino


I posted this a few weeks ago, but these words keep occurring to me everytime I listen to another news report on Iraq or hear another member of this Administration speak...

[mightywurlitzer]

1. This reminds me

of last week when I was watching the McLaughlin group, and in one surreal moment, I actually found myself agreeing with Pat Buchanan when he said "The Empire has peaked".

[Rick Myers]

2. I know the feeling

I've found myself agreeing with Pat several times in the past few weeks. Bizzarro world...

I don't agree completely with 'the Empire has peaked.' I believe we are in DEEP DEEP kimchee, but if we wake up and act, there is still a chance for us...

[Itascapark]

3. I think he was being forgiving

Some would claim the empire peeked just after WWII...

[Clete]

5. It's scary I find myself agreeing with old Pat occasionally,

but he really isn't part of this new Republicanism. He has been very critical of the Bush administration because he too feels they are undermining the Constitution and our country as a result.

[mandyky]

4. Howard Dean has also compared

the turning point we are at, by mentioning the Roman Empire.

[Pallas180]

6. Profound. Says it all. n/t

.

[quinnox]

7. The Roman Empire

lasted 1000 years. You do the math.