OpEdNews - Page 2 of Article: Superpower Gone Bad

But, Bush is afraid of much more than any threat from Iraqis directed toward the U.S. if he stops. He's afraid of abandoning his entire posture of dominance over a society of individuals and factions he considers inferior in Iraq, thereby admitting the fallibility of the Middle East protection scheme which has artificially enhanced his own importance in direct relation to his contrived ability to point out a perceived threat to defend America against and look like he's acting on it. He's afraid that if he drops the bully act, his true weakness and impotence against random terror acts will be revealed for all to see and feel.

He's not alone. His spokesman, Tony Snow described his position more succinctly. "Does this generation of American leaders still believe in the home truths that in the passage of one short century turned this country from a backwater into the leader of the world?" Snow said. "More simply, do we still wish to be a superpower?''

In proper context, Snow is wondering if America going to allow itself to be bound by the lessons of restraint culled from the history of our past imperialisms, or do we want to abandon all of that reason and become an oppressive bully bent on world domination? Do we want to be seen by the world community as a nation which is without guile in the exercise of our unassailable defenses, or will we be satisfied to merely be recognized as Superbad?

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