I've had hard time reconciling my dream of the United States to be the perfect Republic and a desperate world forcing us into becoming United States “the Empire”. My Objectivist / Libertarian bent demands a Republic and individual freedom, but my pragmatic nature sees a need to preserve our safety :re provide for the common defense. I've discussed at length many ideas from the additions of Foreign Legions to the U.S. military to the addition of true blockades by force of arms. Economic Aid and the possible use of Economic bribery to neighboring nations to attack our enemy nations. This is the usual bag of tricks that Empires have used for thousands of years.
I have never come up with a satisfactory conclusion that jibes with my vision of America the Free. That has changed recently with my reading of the works of Thomas P.M. Barnett. His plans for the security of our world are the most profound and inclusive I have read. It is a road map for our contuned existence as a Republic. It has things in it that are radical and scary. Some of the ideas are blindingly perfect and others will require 24/7 monitoring because of the dangers to our way of life. Some of his ideas I have problems with but truthfully I can't find fault with his logic. It is “A Future Worth Creating” the Marshal Plan for the 21st century and you will be wiser for the reading.
Please go to the link below and and invest a few minutes of your time for a short video presentation. I promise it will some of the best time you've invested on the Internet.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/33
Books By Thomas P.M. Barnett
The Pentagon's New Map
and
Blueprint for Action
Stoneknives -GO VOLS-
