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Fuck the Surge
From The Guardian:
The number of Iraqis who have fled their homes but remained in the country has more than doubled to 1.14 million, despite the “surge” in numbers of US troops in recent months, according to a leading humanitarian organisation.
Hypothetical: it is September 11, 2007. President George W. Bush faces a camera, and with uncommon charm relates his good news- sectarian violence has been satisfactorily contained. Better still: the Iraqi civilians have restored their electricity, their running water, and their misplaced limbs. Even better: after witnessing record-high voter turnout, the Iraqi populace has elected a truly representative government, eliminating the need for continued civil war.
It gets even better: Iraq’s oil production explodes, and in gratitude for our extended intervention, the nation of Iraq offers incredibly favorable terms to the United States. Furthermore, since no major hurricanes have hit, refining capacity remains at maximum efficiency. The result: gasoline for $1 per gallon once again.
This development occurs with flawless timing. Just as the US dollar begins to approach outright free-fall, just as the housing market implodes, America finds itself awash in cheap energy once again. Prices fall, consumer spending skyrockets, and the economy enters a new bull market. Job creation explodes, real wages rise, and suddenly the average American is once again able to pay their mortgage on time. Banks stop going out of business, and in tandem, the Federal Reserve slashes prime to 2%. Miraculously, productivity exceeds this inflation of money supply, and one decade hence, America has reached a currently unimaginable level of wealth and prosperity.
Of course, this will never happen. But here’s the catch: it’s a good thing that it won’t. At least, the way I see it.
Securing cheaper oil will only postpone the inevitable development of solar, wind and biofuel energy sources. Engaging another economic boom cycle will only grant more undue credibility to fractional reserve banking, and ensure an even more dramatic collapse for our grandchildren to enjoy. Historical validation of our unilateral invasion of Iraq presents a scary precedent in its own right.
Fantasy aside, we’re in for some tough times. And although it is troubling that our President is hellbent on bankrupting our nation via unnecessary war at the worst possible time, he is in fact the least of my worries. Keep your chin up- I remain eternally optimistic, although that may sound outrageous.
Try this on for size: September 11, 2011. President Hillary Clinton faces a camera and relates the bad news- Iraq is still a mess, but pulling out will only make matters worse. Our refining infrastructure has been obliterated by the worst hurricane season in history. Worse: having been outbid by the Russians and Chinese, energy prices in America reach European levels. The economy, already fragile from the collapse of the housing market simply cannot bear the stress. The market tanks as people sell in panic, and when the stock market lies in ruin, people begin running on the banks.
Those FDIC guarantees kick-in, and the Federal Reserve immediately floods our money supply so that Grandma Mildred might keep her nest egg safely hidden under her mattress. Unlike the bank runs of old, no one is turned away. Cashiers happily hand over bags of money to nervous patrons while pundits fill our airwaves begging us to stop panicking. A month later, the markets begin to surge again, as if my magic- or divine intervention- and the panic subsides- temporarily.
And then inflation hits. And then, as America staggers around like a punch-drunk fool, China drops the biggest bomb in the history of modern warfare: they stop buying U.S. bonds, and decide to empty their vast reserves of U.S. dollars. The emperor has no clothes; the jig is up; the people get wise- and soon the value of our paper money drops like a stone.
Suddenly, millions of armed Americans are unable to afford the food needed to feed their children. Suddenly, millions of middle-class Americans find themselves the new working-poor. Suddenly, millions of upper-class Americans find themselves in a modern aristocracy.
Like they say: everything old is new again.
And, although counterintuitive, this is the best possible thing that could happen to us. Once again we would face the necessary conditions of revolution. Once again we would engage government- by force, if necessary- and once again we would be a land ruled by the people, for the people. At least, until a few generations pass and our ingrateful great-grandchildren fuck it up all over again. Their weapon of choice, like ours was, will be apathy.
I say, let the revolution come- for better or for worse. Here’s hoping that future conditions, although catastrophic, might provide the spark that leads to the greatest fire in the history of known society. Here’s hoping that, when the smoke clears, the great masses of America will find themselves in possession of something worth fighting for.
This is a pure hypothetical- not a call for violence; something to play with in your head if you feel so inclined.
Hungry for more?
