Say Farewell to American Supremacy

[RamblerGambler]

WASHINGTON â?? Global warming could be a boon to Russia, a European country could be overrun by organized crime and the U.S. and its dollar could further decline in importance during the next two decades, says a U.S. intelligence report with predictions for the world in 2025.

The report, Global Trends 2025, is published every four years by the National Intelligence Council to give U.S. leaders insight into looming problems and opportunities.

The report says the warming earth will extend Russia and Canada's growing season and ease their access to northern oil fields, strengthening their economies. But Russia's potential emergence as a world power may be clouded by lagging investment in its energy sector, persistent crime and government corruption, the report says.

Analysts also warn that the same kind of organized crime plaguing Russia could eventually take over the government of an Eastern or Central European country. The report is silent on which one.

It also says countries in Africa and South Asia may find themselves unstable and ungoverned, as state regimes collapse or wither away under security problems and water and food shortages brought about by climate change and a population increase of 1.4 billion.

The potential for conflict will be greater in 2025 than it is now, as the world's population competes for declining and shifting food, water and energy resources.

Despite a more precarious world situation, the report also says al-Qaida's terrorist franchise could decay "sooner than people think." It cites its growing unpopularity in the Muslim world, where it kills most of its victims.

"The prospect that al-Qaida will be among the small number of groups able to transcend the generational timeline is not high, given its harsh ideology, unachievable strategic objectives and inability to become a mass movement," the report states.

The report forecasts a geopolitical rise in non-Arab Muslim states outside of the Middle East, including Turkey and Indonesia, and says Iran could also be a central player in a new world order if it sheds its theocracy.

The report, a year in the making, also suggests the world may complete its move away from its dependence on oil, and that the U.S. dollar, while remaining important, will decline to "first among equals" among other national currencies.

U.S. global power also will likely decline, as Americans' concerns about putting resources into solving domestic problems may cause the United States to pull resources from foreign and global problems.

http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_2025_project.html

RamblerGambler Reviewed by RamblerGambler on 11-21-2008. Say Farewell to American Supremacy WASHINGTON â?? Global warming could be a boon to Russia, a European country could be overrun by organized crime and the U.S. and its dollar could further decline in importance during the next two decades, says a U.S. intelligence report with predictions for the world in 2025. The report, Global Trends 2025, is published every four years by the National Intelligence Council to give U.S. leaders insight into looming problems and opportunities. The report says the warming earth will extend Rating: 5

[maladroit]

it would be nice to have someone else in charge for a while...hopefully it will be someone who isn't blowing stuff up and shooting anyone who objects to being shot at

[thcbongman]

From your source:

"Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World" is the fourth unclassified report prepared by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) in recent years that takes a long-term view of the future. It offers a fresh look at how key global trends might develop over the next 15 years to influence world events. Our report is not meant to be an exercise in prediction or crystal ball-gazing. Mindful that there are many possible "futures," we offer a range of possibilities and potential discontinuities, as a way of opening our minds to developments we might otherwise miss.

Take the blinders off. America is declining in terms of power, but to say farewell so soon, shows your Anti-American bent. You don't look at facts, just what you want to hear.

[maladroit]

how about 'au revoir'? is that anti-american too?

[thcbongman]

Bist du nicht verstehen? The eagarness to make such a statement, you'd be a fool to deny it.

[maladroit]

ich verstehe nationalismus!

rambler is not the only one to frame that report in such a manner...it's not anti-american:

U.S. world dominance fading: intelligence agency

National Intelligence Council report: sun setting on the American century - Times Online

American Dominance 'Set to Wane,' Says Intelligence Report

[thcbongman]

If you think I'm a nationalist, you are on crack.

Also considering I said America is declining, but it is still the superpower. When the military starts withdrawing from various bases around the world, you can say it's the end. Until that day, it's too early to say farewell.

[maladroit]

i don't think there is enough difference between 'dominance fading' and 'farewell to supremacy' to justify your accusation of anti-americanism...the report suggests that america could give up the throne within 20 years: is the national intelligence council anti-american too?

usa closing military bases around the world:

Online NewsHour: Pentagon Proposes Closing Almost 180 U.S. Military Bases -- May 13, 2005

US Army to Close Five More Bases in Germany | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 11.07.2007

United States to close Sardinia military base | AFP | Find Articles at BNET

[thcbongman]

i don't think there is enough difference between 'dominance fading' and 'farewell to supremacy' to justify your accusation of anti-americanism...the report suggests that america could give up the throne within 20 years: is the national intelligence council anti-american too?

Do you have blinders on too? Don't you not see the initial quote above? They didn't predict the future, the simply projected every possible scenario of possible futures. "Our report is not meant to be an exercise in prediction or crystal ball-gazing. Mindful that there are many possible "futures," we offer a range of possibilities and potential discontinuities, as a way of opening our minds to developments we might otherwise miss. "

Yes they are possibilities, some that are developing, but how do you know they will pan out? He used the report to demonstrate to say America's power has ended, the implication in the language is there.

[RamblerGambler]

Ich verstehe auch. If I'm anti-american, that's news to me. I sought to discuss the evolving world, not scorn my country. Look at the difference between this report and the one issued 4 years ago, when it was projected that America would continue to dominate both militarily and economically for the foreseeable future, while democracy would continue to flourish around the globe, .
NIC - Mapping the Global Future

Now it appears this future is not to be.

Devilstower:the central points of the NIC assessment are that 2025 will see a world where the US has declining influence, where free market economies are losing out to state-controlled capitalism, where democracy is imperiled, and an unstable set of political rivals skirmish over dwindling resources.

Others have said it before me, but we now get to witness the butterfly effect of 8 years of policy brought to us by the letter W.

Devilstower: you've heard of the butterfly effect, right? That's the bit where small effects now can have large effects in distance time or place. Just think of this as the Republican Buzzard Effect, wherein large scale incompetence and massive bad decisions now turn into even more massive catastrophic screw ups for the future.