The facts are in and the case is closed: U.S. unipolar hegemony is unsustainable. The problem is that the U.S. empire itself does not know this.
By Caitlin Johnstone
CaitlinJohnstone.com
Listen to a reading of this article.
In response to questions during a press conference on last week about Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin cementing a “new era” in strategic partnership between China and Russia, the White House National Security Council’s John Kirby made no fewer than seven assertions that the U.S. is the “leader” of the world.
Here are excerpts from his comments:
- “The two countries have grown closer. But they are both countries that chafe and bristle at U.S. leadership around the world.”
- “And in China’s case in particular, they certainly would like to challenge U.S. leadership around the world.“
- “But these are not two countries that have, you know, decades-long experience working together and full trust and confidence. It’s a burgeoning of late based on America’s increasing leadership around the world and trying to check that.”
- “Peter, these are two countries that have long chafed, as I said to Jeff — long chafed at U.S. leadership around the world and the network of alliances and partnerships that we have.”
- “And we work on those relationships one at a time, because every country on the continent is different, has different needs and different expectations of American leadership.”
- “That’s the power of American convening leadership. And you don’t see that power out of either Russia or China.”
- “But one of the reasons why you’re seeing that tightening relationship is because they recognize that they don’t have that strong foundation of international support for what they’re trying to do, which is basically challenge American leadership around the world.”
John Kirby really wants everyone to know that America is in charge of the world. This is from one single press conference. pic.twitter.com/HeE9uGEwrW
— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) March 21, 2023
The illusory truth effect is a cognitive bias which causes people to mistake something they have heard many times for an established fact, because the way the human brain receives and interprets information tends to draw little or no distinction between repetition and truth. Propagandists and empire managers often take advantage of this glitch in our wetware, which is what’s happening when you see them repeating key phrases over and over again that they want people to believe.
We saw another repetition of this line recently at an online conference hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in which the U.S. ambassador to China asserted that Beijing must accept the U.S. as the “leader” of the region China happens to occupy.
U.S. empire managers are of course getting very assertive about the narrative that they are the world’s “leader” because that self-appointed “leadership” is being challenged by China, and the nations which support it with increasing openness like Russia. Most of the major international news stories of our day are either directly or indirectly related to this dynamic, wherein the U.S. is struggling to secure unipolar planetary domination by thwarting China’s rise and undermining its partners.
The message they’re putting out is, “This is our world. We’re in charge. Anyone who claims otherwise is freakish and abnormal, and must be opposed.”
US Ambassador To China: "We're The Leader" Of The Indo-Pacific
The way US empire managers talk about "leading" ostensibly sovereign states with ostensibly independent governments shows you they really do think they own the world.https://t.co/obSehF6xZ1
— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) March 2, 2023
Why do they say the U.S. is the “leader” of the world instead of its “ruler,” anyway? I’m unclear on the difference as practically applied. Is it meant to give us the impression that the U.S. rules the world by democratic vote? That this is something to which the rest of the world consented? Because I sure as hell don’t remember voting for it, and we’ve all seen what happens to governments that don’t comply with U.S. “leadership.”
I’m not one of those who believe a multipolar world will be a wonderful thing, I just recognize that it beats the hell out of the alternative, that being increasingly reckless nuclear brinkmanship to maintain global control. The U.S. has been in charge long enough to make it clear that the world order it dominates can only be maintained by nonstop violence and aggression, with more and more of that violence and aggression being directed toward major nuclear-armed powers. The facts are in and the case is closed: U.S. unipolar hegemony is unsustainable.
The problem is that the U.S. empire itself does not know this. This horrifying trajectory we’re on toward an Atomic Age world war is the result of the empire’s doctrine that it must maintain unipolar control at all costs crashing into the rise of a multipolar world order.
It doesn’t need to be this way. There’s no valid reason why the U.S. needs to remain in charge of the world and can’t just let different people in different regions sort out their own affairs. There’s no valid reason why governments need to be brandishing Armageddon weapons at each other instead of collaborating peacefully in the interest of all humankind. We’re being pushed toward disaster to preserve “American leadership around the world,” and I for one do not consent to this.
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This article is from CaitlinJohnstone.com and re-published with permission.
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
“Schaefer is the one beer to have when you’re having more than one.”
“Chafing” under the “Diplomatic Revolution,” brokered by Xi Jinping, John Kirby, who can’t find his own a$$ w/ both hands, knows, the “American leadership,” got their a$$ handed to ‘em!!! China + Saudi Arabia + Iran + Russia = A Big f/Deal! The “rub” felt round the world, “The American leadership” was M.I.A., by design! Seared in everyone’s memory, Xi Jinping’s/Vladimir Putin’s “HANDSHAKE,” worth way f/more than a Fi$t Bump. This is what Statesmanship looks like.
“The power of American convening leadership’s” past & present, causing massive death, widespread devastation, and vast international and internal displacement of the civilian population, the ol’ Shock & Awe, cloaked under the guise of goodwill; AND, accusing China of preparing to assist Russia, the US and its NATO allies are pouring weapons of mass destruction, to the tune of billions of dollars, into the Ukrainian military, is NOT gonna garner an invitation to a Peace Party. I digress….
A New Era, “THIS WHOLE THING is blowing up in the face of the West. We forced Russia to pivot to Asia, as well as Brazil, India, China, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. THERE’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD BEING FORMED.” Dennis Kucinich, the Man who should be President!
Multi-polarity vs. Unipolarity. BRICS vs. NATO. Peace vs. War. The Dollar, Dives. the Rouble & the Yuan, Rise!
The world’s currency is changing. The world is changing. Biden-Harris, their Board of Executioners & Congress are NOT on board. Someone, oughta ask POTUS, wtf YEAR it is?!?
“We’re being pushed toward disaster to preserve “American leadership around the world,” and I for one do not consent to this.” (Caitlin Johnstone).
“I, second, that!!!” (LeoSun). Therefore, “WANTED, A LEADER!!! A Peacemaker NOT “The Big Guy,” PUTIN “pegged as an unreconstructed warmonger and longtime advocate of NATO expansion, someone who’d act on his MADness,” (Mutually Assured Destruction). Ciao. TY. “KEEP IT LIT!”
My quip
“Nevertheless, our vainglorious American leaders seem eager that we at least all die trying.”
was supposed to be a direct rejoinder to Jeff Harrison’s very first remark. How it got unattached, I dunno.
Thanks Caitlin for this, you are on target again, as usual. And once again I have taken your input for granted. My apologies.
These mouth pieces, these “useful idiots” you speak of here are in for an education. History has already shown us they have no value to those they serve once they have outlived their usefulness to those who use them.
When I see and hear Kirby and the others of his ilk, I’m shocked that they actually believe this garbage they espouse. They have far too much in common with the Trump when it comes to being delusional, something very terrifying at this point in time.
I got news for them, what they say no longer matters because their actions betray them. Hence that “Deer in the headlight look” they have on their faces.Our country is in what could be a terminal funk if folks don’t get very interested in the truth very soon.
This country’s government, for all practical intents and purposes once valued by Americans, is in failure mode.
If anyone here doesn’t think so they best damned well take a good look around.
What America enjoyed for too short of a time is the ability for so many Americans to have honest pride in this experiment called being a “Free Country.” Americans got physically spoiled and mentally lazily, forgot their civics lessons, and now the price being paid is the loss of those freedoms.
The question begging to be asked of Americans is, “Is this who we really want to be?”.
Thanks you again Caitlin.
Thanks CN
:) Right? Democracy with Führers is like strawberries with mustard. Only much worse.
The cleansing has to come from within, arm in arm and from the ground up.
Thank you for this brilliant article. You hit the mark right in the middle.
Nevertheless, our vainglorious American leaders seem eager that we at least all die trying.
Based on materials I read from a rather recently released ” two volume Book”, I’d like to make a few of observations resulting from what I have learned about World and U.S. history since around the middle to late 1930’s forward to the present.
The most obvious being that computers and the computer age has been as much as curse on the earths population as it has been a blessing to it. The ‘blessing’ thing needs to be utilized to neutralize the curse aspect of these life altering devices. This must be done, because the evil doers are going to suck the rest of us dry.
This same technology has opened the vaults of banks to mass corruption, see the offshore banking industry as well as the banking industry of most every other nation on earth. During this same period the technology has been used to spy on millions of members of the human race. Turns out to be a terrible thing.
Anyone here ever heard of Seymour Cray of Cray Research, read his wiki and see James Bamford’s , Body of Secrets, Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, from the cold war through the dawn of a new Century, Copy Right 2001.
Cray and his work are listed no less that four times in that volumes index. Mr. Cray was into super computers, wiki the Data Control Corporation, he is listed as a “key person who worked for Data Control Corporation founded in 1957. He is mentioned in BODY OF SECRETS as well as this new release, BODY OF SECRETS describes his research in great detail,and his demise seems to have likely been caused by evil doers in October 1996. Much more death would orbit the computer software industry. But I digress.
Observation: Judging from what I read I would posit that U.S. intelligence has “blown it” by a large margin when it comes to having usable intelligence on our enemies. It does not do much good to acquire intelligence if if one does not have the freedom to use it, no matter how good the intelligence is.
Observation: If anyone can read these volumes and not see how thoroughly American intelligence agencies have been compromised along with the some of the highest levels of American government you must belong to the MAGA crazies group!
Observation: This banking industry thing is not goiong away quietly.
IMHO you best get your copies of this new book ASAP!
IN closing some advice, please realize that our government is no longer capable of policing itself so in order to maintain it’s hold of power over us it chooses to police WE THE MULTITUDES the. Think NON-COMPLIANCE!
Now I gotta donate!
Thanks CN
The US claims ‘leadership’ but doesn’t actually lead. To lead implies being at the head of something where the followers follow willingly, inspired and motivated to do so. I cannot think of any example where the US does lead in the true sense. It isn’t known for using inspiration to motivate its so-called followers.
Instead, it forces its followers to follow, by various means – sometimes gently sometimes forcefully. Some follow relatively willingly, despite the actual or implied coercion, naively believing that the US genuinely cares about them. They believe they will benefit from the relationship. Even in these cases, they usually have some idea of what the US might do to them if they stray off the path.
So, it isn’t leadership in the true sense, it is rulership. The US uses coercion of one kind or another to ensure compliance. And therein lies the problem, all rulers eventually end up being overthrown by the ruled, or collapse due to corruption or other destructive causes.
The US rulership will be no different – it is not exceptional, in any way except its size and degree of destruction inflicted on the world.
The article asks:
“Why do they say the U.S. is the ‘leader’ of the world instead of its ‘ruler,’ anyway?”
One can say with conviction that the U.S. leads the world in mass shootings and mass school shootings while also killing and maiming and crippling people overseas. The motto of the United States should be: Violence at home as well as abroad.
“Violence is a part of America’s culture. It is as American as cherry pie.” — H Rap Brown
Washington doesn’t get the message that the U.S. military is not enough to keep the U.S. #1. The rest of the world is fed up with the U.S. policy of military and financial intervention and supporting dictators. For that matter, any informed American is. And Washington is wasting its time trying to “explain it away.” Communications around the globe are better than they ever have been and people around the world, everywhere, are sick and fed up with the crony political AND religious leaderships being fed them.
Power politics can be read about in the texts of ancient Greece. Chimpanzees, our closest simian relatives, are dominated by an alpha male, who beats up any other chimp who opposes him. When he gets too old, another male arises, beats the old alpha up, and drives him away, then assumes the same role as his predecessor’s. Sometimes, if the old guy is too obnoxious, the females gang together to drive him away, but then they let the next young tough-guy take the old one’s place.
The point being, the group functions best with a single leader who makes and enforces the rules, no matter how unjust-seeming those rules are. It’s just simpler to have a single leader. But from time to time there is turnover. The U.S. assumed that alpha role from Britain after WWI, cemented it after WWII, and is now trying to hold onto it against a new challenger, China, having defended it successfully against the old challenger, the USSR. The US and China WILL fight – the only question is how: dueling economies would be nicest, nukes the most dangerous, and cyber war somewhere in between. Pandemics weaken both sides, delaying but not preventing confrontation; weather disasters the same.
War exists for the same reason that sex exists – sex accelerates mutation leading to evolution biologically, while war accelerates social, political, economic change at the level of the whole of society. Many good changes happened fast in the U.S. and Europe due to WWII, though at the cost of many lives. But the population rebounded and continued to grow, economies grew, the middle class expanded, African Americans got their rights, as did women, and so on.
Society is constructed around the need to make war. Politicians find it easy to get elected if they have a pro-war mindset. Peaceniks don’t run for office (if they do, they’re defeated: ask George McGovern). Being anti-war is sentimental or idealist. Look at all the leftists who now are fierce champions of Ukraine fighting Russia. The US provoked that war, and intends to benefit from it now and afterwards, when it comes to an end. Our antagonism toward Russia drives it into the arms of its natural enemy, China, with whom it shares a long and disputed border. China could use Siberian resources, and would love to treat it as the U. S. treats Latin America. We’d love to grab Ukraine, too. So Russia is surrounded by enemies, and threatens to use nukes. But you can’t use nukes when the other side has ’em too, and is itching to use them.
The U.S. is the old alpha chimp, trying to hold on, and willing to beat up any would-be challenger. The Congress and State Dept. are full of alphas who love war – it’s good for business, and good for getting re-elected. Candidate Biden pledged no first-use of nukes; now he takes that back, because for credibility a President has to have full use of his arsenal. Will there be atomic war? I don’t think so, except by accident. The Austrian heir didn’t plan to start WWI when he visited Sarajevo, but accidents happen, the unforeseen.
The world outside the US & Europe is fully aware of the millions killed in illegal US wars of aggression, coup d’états, and crippling sanctions. Our claims of “leadership” and “democracy” ring hollow and hypocritical outside “the collective West”. Only those confined to western corporate media believe US claims of “freedom” and “democracy”, and their number is rapidly declining. Every US administration since the Vietnam War has only themselves to blame.
” … U.S. leadership around the world.” – an oft repeated mantra of the USA.
Kirby is simply channeling his inner Joseph Gobbels: repeat a lie long enough and it becomes – in the minds of the propagandized – truth. That is not the exact quote, but close enough for the government.
The only place that america truly rules is in america itself. Even there it is doing a terrible job.
Instead of “global leadership,” with its immense cost of maintaining military bases around the world, it would be preferable if we showed some leadership with our myriad domestic problems. How about Medicare for All, addressing climate change in a serious way, ending rampant gun violence, reining in financial corruption, and providing free college tuition, to name a few.
America certainly has been the leader and just look where they have lead us.
The repetition of a lie, in order for it to be believed by the masses, became effective with the advent of broadcast media pioneered by Joseph Goebbels. The meme “we’re the leaders of the world,” as discussed in this article, is for domestic consumption. So what does it mean? I suggest it is simply a superficial explanation for our foreign policy. “Just like the streets of America the world is a dangerous and inexplicable place. But we have to take care of it because we are the world’s leaders.” This is imperial/militarist jingoism peddled by an admiral posing as a civilian.
You are correct. Not even a snowball’s chance. However, chances and probability are, I suspect, of little interest to Washington’s psychopaths. What matters to them is what they WANT to achieve and what lengths they will go achieve it. One or more of those lengths might conceivably include nuclear war whereby Washington kills most of the planet and us, its people, in order to prove its point and become undeniable leaders of a smouldering ash-filled wasteland.
I just don’t get Americans’ and WEF neoliberals’ twisted fetish with “leadership”.
To understand, simply put the word “leader” in your translator engine of choice and have it translated into German.
The result will be ..”Führer”.
Well then, no lessons learned whatsoever, mein Führer..
(Thanks Caitlin, as always.)
colodactylon – that is quite the handle. At any rate, it isn’t about ‘leadership’ per-se. It is more about americas ability to plunder the rest of the world for it’s resources. They – the US – obviously can’t come right out and state that fact, but fact it is. F’instance, how much oil has the US STOLEN from Syria? How about the money that belongs to Afghanistan that the US will not release? How about Russian gold? Or Venezuelan gold?
The US is a state sponsor of terror. It is a kleptomaniac writ large. The list of crimes by the US is long and continues to grow. That constitutes another fear american war-whores have. At some point the US may – it must – face a war crimes tribunal of some sort. They are doing their level best to put that appointment off for as long as possible.
So when the aliens arrive they’ll say “take me to your Führer”.
(And you’re right; i tried 6 english to german translations and they all came up Führer.)
“The illusory truth effect is a cognitive bias which causes people to mistake something they have heard many times for an established fact, because the way the human brain receives and interprets information tends to draw little or no distinction between repetition and truth. Propagandists and empire managers often take advantage of this glitch in our wetware, which is what’s happening when you see them repeating key phrases over and over again that they want people to believe.”
A very interesting and important point. It illustrates the importance of responding early to false claims before, hopefully, they can take hold.
E.O. Wilson once said that humans evolved to have a ridiculously easy indoctrinability. My thought is this is a byproduct of our journey through the Pleistocene. Many challenges along the way would have prioritized group thinking as a basic survival tool–not unlike the untutored musk oxen that automatically form a butt to butt circle–facing outward–when a threat appears. We are still those musk oxen in so many ways. Old brain vs new world. The clever simians were not ready for the world we currently have.
As for the Caitlin’s excellent point about repetition of falseho0ds becoming both true and factually determinative: Covid was highly contagious–but so is laughter. And most clearly, Russia’s attack was always prefaced with “unprovoked” which is not gospel. And speaking of gospel: virgin birth? dying and resurrected god? places of eternal punishment and bliss after life? Holy cow. No wonder we are so out of touch. That training and brainwashing is utterly deep.
John Kirby’s admittance that he barely knows any history when he was grilled by a journalist about NATO and Russia shows the true education of the people running “the greatest country in the world”.
These guys can’t find their way out of a toilet without GPS so they tell themselves and the world that the U.S. is the global leader because they don’t know either history or geography.
Considering how embedded in the U.S. government that organized crime is — indistinguishable from the so-called intelligence community — it seems no surprise that John Kirby looks like a mobster.
FOR THE BEST & BRIGHTEST, HISTORY IS BUNK
Even when these types DO know history, it doesn’t matter. Consider David Halberstam’s book “The Best and the Brightest” about the Vietnam war or Barbara Tuchman’s “The March of Folly.” Intelligent people whose policies were disasters because they framed info through rigid beliefs in their own abilities and how they thought the world should work. Besides, as Henry Ford said, “history is bunk.” To them, it is.
Now we have the Ivy Ds; B & B 2.0; self-defined as being a “meritocracy.” In plain English, they are our betters and we should defer to their superiority. They live in a very abstract alternative reality where power is everything. Their logic is the Aristotelian either/or: Right/wrong. With us/against us (“us” meaning them, of course.) Good/bad. Strong/weak. Winner/loser. Nuance or ambiguity?! Never! They can’t ever be uncertain, which would mean looking weak.
Saying the U.S. is a leader or is #1 in whatever means they are. The rest of humanity and all other life on the planet are merely economic cannon fodder, pawns in their game, or collateral damage. That kind of disregard for the harm they cause would be considered sociopathic in an individual.
Nuclear weapons haven’t been used since 1945.
I personally think the world’s billionaires create all this chaos so they can bomb and rebuild countries to make more money.
The US and Russia are both gaining by this Ukraine war.
I think you are one of the most clear eyed purveyors of truth, Caitlin, but I think the billionaires want to stay rich without ruining their world.
Although acting like nuclear war is unlikely may be risky, I seriously doubt nuclear wars break out as the best interests of the wealthy wouldn’t be served.
You are, of course, completely wrong. It makes no difference in the present world how long ago nuclear weapons were last used. They were almost used accidentally several times since that time they were first used only to support a foreign policy warning our enemies to respect our strength, or else face our wrath. And billionaires as the means of control? You don’t become a billionaire by respecting limits. Billionaires are the last, Faustian bargain expressing our longing for infinity before those finite means which we actually possess crash down all around us. Our time in no way represents a newer version of “man, in his perfect proportions, is the measure of all things.” We’ve lost the means of maintaining any measure of anything. The billionaires are painting a Rembrandt for themselves, or else writing a symphony by Mozart by accruing the last wealth of humanity for themselves. The sterility of a fully realized civilization is now upon us, much like the Rome of Augustus. The accrual of wealth is the only reality that still matters. The billionaires will bleed the provinces and enrich the cities until the whole thing is a pile of stone. The movie “Soylent Green” is a Hallmark movie compared to what we are facing. We live in greater danger than ever before in history. And the United States is the cause of that danger.
Writing in active grammar, “the USA hasn’t used nuclear weapons since 1945”. The USA is the only country to have used nuclear weapons on humans. Let’s hope it’s simultaneously the first and last. If it’s not – we’re toast.
Since Russia was actively trying to negotiate up until the Minsk Agreements reveal, I don’t think Russia sees itself as “gaining by this Ukraine war.” Yes, the ruling elite of the world like war, and I think they are so insane they think they’ll survive and benefit if there is nuclear war.
The foundation lie inculcated by repetition is that the US is the good guy and its designated adversaries are bad guys. All the other lies are designed to be consistent with this. Thus, the US attacking another country for its resources is ostensibly done for democracy.
We see this starkly in the lie about Israelis being innocent victims of predatory Palestinians. The facts show exactly the reverse.
Terrorism: How the Israeli state was won
hxxp://mondoweiss.net/2017/01/terrorism-israeli-state
Similarly, twenty years of the US provoking Russia, including expanding NATO eastward, the 2014 coup in Ukraine, the eight years of shelling Donbass civilians, the broken promises and peace agreements, are completely omitted by the US corporate “news” media. As is the historical context of US predatory regime change wars around the world.
According to multiple sources outside the US corporate media, countries around the world are gladly, finally, and with relief, dumping the US bully. It’s done. The neocon feather flapping is having zero influence.
But due to their financial grip on the US corporate media, Americans will be the last to know. Ultimately however, these pirates need to be rooted out and cast aside so America can play an honorable role in world affairs.
The truth is that 87% of the worlds population, mostly living in the global south and western Asia have abandoned America. They’ve formed an organisation called the BRICS, and look to China and Russia for leadership.
Add to that, that China is running rings around America economically and is touted to produce the new reserve currency, the digital yuan. Put simply, this, together with its own profligacy, will destroy America.
Unlike America, China is friendly and collaborative, so it will be a very different, and much nicer world than our present, hostile situation.
It’s happening very fast now, so we just have to hope that the two great powers, China and Russia, can hold America in check until its final death blow in the form of bankruptcy!!
Its also intersting to note that among the growing number of countries showing an interest in joining BRICS are Turkey (a NATO member) and Saudi Arabia (generally considered an American vassal state).
Those look like two pretty big cracks appearing in the edifice. I did hear a rumour that Mexico were interested too, but I’m not sure that that’s been confirmed. BRICS right on the border would be interesting….
A common sense piece from Johnstone here. From the Monroe Doctrine to the Wolfowitz Doctrine, there’s no end to US arrogance in abrogating to itself the “leader of the free world” moniker. The charade is up. …..More and more of the world sees clearly the mafia-like , bullying ways of US foreign policy. …….and they’ve HAD it! …………Full Spectrum Dominance. “You’re either with us or against us”. —-> the hubris of US imperialism eventually will inevitably mean the end of US empire.. Hopefully, sooner than later.
The only remaining question——–> Will the US go out with a (nuke) bang in a vain attempt to regain unquestioned global hegemony??? Or, will it go peacefully in to the night?
Caitlin, I must take one tiny exception to what you say. The US does not have hegemony just yet. To become the world’s hegemon, the US will need to subjugate Russia, China, and India at least. I don’t think we have a snowball’s chance in hell of doing that.