Empires fall from overextended military spending that drains the ability to support the homeland's infrastructure and impoverishes the people. Eventually, the inequity between the rich/powerful and the declining middle-class/poor will drive an internal fall. Will we deplete our resources on empire building or conserve them to remain economically strong?

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The empire was stretched to its limits, emptying the city of its citizens and its treasure.   At all costs the empire must survive and the costs were high.   The polity had sacrificed its soul for the conquest of far-flung places and sapped its strength.

Old men had sent young men to die so that they might keep their personal power and wealth while the greater population languished in squalor and corruption.  

Sometimes the death of empire is quick in a decisive battle.   Other times, it decays slowly.   But, it always vanishes.

The wise learn from the histories of former empires.   However, there are now few wise enough to learn and even fewer competent to warn.     Listen to the voices of history:

Athenian historian, Thucydides: "Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can."

Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius : " Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too."

James Madison, Founding Father and President:   " If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."   Also, " Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. . . bringing the many under the domination of the few."

Medal of Honor recipient, Major General Smedley Butler, USMC: " War is just a racket. . . Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.  

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. . . I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. . . I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers.   . . I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service. . . The record of racketeering is long. . ."

  General Dwight Eisenhower: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

  President John F. Kennedy: "What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by an American weapons of war. Not . . . the security of the slave. I am talking about . . . the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living."

Empires fall from overextended military spending that drains the ability to support the homeland's infrastructure and impoverishes the people.   Eventually, the inequity between the rich/powerful and the declining middle-class/poor will drive an internal fall.   First, there will be a decline in morals and values, then an attempt at "bread and circuses" in which the public is stupefied into believing that all is well, then a lawlessness that plunges the society into complete ruin.

Do not fail to differentiate wars of imperialism with defense of our country.   A strong military is essential in this dangerous world -- but only for preservation and humanitarian purposes.

The recent death of bin Laden will not stop the endless wars.   There is now a multi-billion dollar industry based on the "war on terror" that will continue as long as those profiting can keep us afraid of the next threat.   Are we to remain so fearful that we sacrifice our freedoms or do we say "no more" to fear, declare victory, and get out!

China will be the next world-wide economic power.   America can remain strong and on economic parity or we can squander the last of our economy on irresponsible short-term gains for the greedy.   We can choose to remain a first-world economic powerhouse or we can become a defeated empire.

What would a wise American do? 

This article originally appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat on 06/23/2011.

Authors Website: www.garystilwell.com

Authors Bio:
Bio for Gary Stilwell, PhD

Personal:
Married to Barbara Stilwell
Two children - Teresa Stilwell Ortiz and Keith Stilwell

Education:
Auburn University - BS in Mathematics, minors in Physics and Philosophy
IBM Systems Research Institute - Certificate in Computer Science
Florida State University - MA in Humanities, PhD in Humanities/Religion

Work History:
Worked for IBM Corporation for thirty years:
Primarily with academic supercomputers and in other government entities
Positions included -
Systems Engineering
National Applications Specialist
Marketing
Management
Since retirement, I have continued work as:
Scientific Computing Consultant
Visiting Professor for FSU Graduate School
Teaching at Other Venues
Author

Some Community/Social Organizations in which I have served:
IBM Club - President
(A social club with about 300 IBM employees)
American Mensa - Member
(A social organization)
Tallahassee Coalition for the Homeless - Board Member
(Homeless advocates)
InnBetween - Board Member and President
(Provides transitional housing for recovering homeless)
Dog Island Conservation District - Board Member and Chairman
(An elected government position - 10 years on Board, 5 terms as Chairman)
Stonegate Neighborhood Association - President
(A local neighborhood group)
Currently hold the following positions --
Acting Up Players - Board Member and President
(A part of Tallahassee Little Theater that provides the acting experience for seniors)
Tallahassee Little Theatre - Board Member and President
(A community theatre)
Westcott Lakes Life College - Chairman
(A continuing educational organization for seniors)
Center for Inquiry - Past President, Treasurer and Director of Communications
(An organization dedicated to science and reason vs. superstition and pseudoscience)

Published Books:
Christianity: 5000 Years of History and Development, iUniverse, Inc., 2004
Afterlife: Post-Mortem Judgments in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, iUniverse, Inc., 2005
Where Was God: Evil, Theodicy, and Modern Science, Outskirts Press, 2009

Summary:
Upon retirement from working in science, technology, and super-computers at International Business Machines (IBM,) I began second careers of scientific computer consulting and academic research, writing, and teaching.

Combining my professional experience in the sciences with an academic interest in religion (MA and Ph.D. in Humanities with emphasis on religion), I began writing and
lecturing on these subjects at the Florida State University and Academy in Tallahassee, Florida.

Most recently, I am involved with community theatre, both as an actor and behind the scenes as a part of the crew and as president and member of the board of directors.
Nevertheless, I still find time for my true passion of teaching about comparative religion and the intersection between science and religion.