The "Final War"

As America marches toward the Inflationary Depression of '26-'28, the last battle looms large...

(Source: Getty Images)

Bill Bonner, reckoning today from Poitou, France...

“[The brain] is unable to distinct [sic] whether information is right or wrong; is led to believe statements or messages it has already heard as true, even though these may be false; accepts statements as true, if backed by evidence, with no regards to [sic] the authenticity of that evidence.”

“At the political and strategic level, it would be wrong to underestimate the impact of emotions…. Emotions —hope, fear, humiliation — shape the world and international relations with the echo-chamber effect of social media.”

~ Cognitive Warfare, NATO

News Flash: America’s sanctions don’t seem to be working. ZeroHedge:

When western nations rolled out a grand plan to throttle Russian oil imports and impose sanctions on Kremlin energy exports, we - and many others - laughed: after all, we have repeatedly seen how toothless western sanctions are when seeking to contain "rogue regime" oil profits, from Iran (which is pretty much selling oil to China at max capacity) to Venezuela and onward. One year later, our laughter has been well justified, because as the FT reports, "Russia has succeeded in avoiding G7 sanctions on most of its oil exports", a shift in trade flows that will boost the Kremlin’s revenues as crude rises towards $100 a barrel, and as Russian Urals prices hit $80, the highest level in over a year.

Sanctions against China aren’t doing so well either. AP:

Chinese tech giant Huawei reports sales, profit up despite US sanctions

Years from now, economists and historians will be aghast and amazed. So many failed policies. So many flop wars. So many lies. So much BS.

Last Chance Alley

Maybe even TIME magazine will try to understand what has happened, with a cover story: “America: What Went Wrong.” Talk shows will include experts with explanations. Some will say that Americans were always hellbent. They’ll recall everything from the massacre at Wounded Knee to Nagasaki, arguing that a ‘Final War’ was inevitable. Others will claim the Democrats got a bee in their bonnets; all they could think about was sexual perversions and racism…(didn’t they appoint a White House press secretary…and then a Senator from California…simply because they were Black lesbians?). Still others will say that it was the Republicans, with their election denials and ‘wannabe dictator,’ who were to blame…or neo-liberalism…or immigration…AI….climate change…whatever.

Even as late as 2023, the USA still had a chance. It still could have renounced its empire and its sanctions, balanced its budget, trimmed its transfer payments…recalled its troops…and extended a hand of friendship to all who would take it.

Yes, it would have been rough for a year or two…disposing of trillions of dollars’ worth of unpayable debt. But it would have avoided a total breakdown of the US economy and its government. Americans would never have had to watch their country lose another major war and turn into a banana republic, sh*thole country.   

Pistols and Knives

Maybe one of the talk show guests…or more likely, a complete outsider, with a long, gray beard, sending his opinions from a website based in Laramie, Wyoming…will explain:

“If Congress had balanced the budget, it would have had to back away from its lavish military adventures…and it wouldn’t have been able to afford a pointless battle with China and Russia, both. And if Congress hadn’t run deficits, the Treasury wouldn’t have had to print so much money. We could have avoided the Inflationary Depression of 2026-28. And the ‘Final War’ would never have taken place.

Today, two-thirds of America’s ‘defense budget’ goes to support its war industry, not to defend the nation. Cutting it back…along with relatively small adjustments to “entitlement” programs… could bring spending in line with tax receipts.

But as of October of 2023, Congress shows no inclination whatsoever to avoid the catastrophe headed its way.

Instead, Democrats and Republicans go after each other with pistols and knives.  Each side sees the other as an ‘enemy.’   

But they are on the same page on the two things that will cause the shameful end of the American Empire.

Immodest Foreign Policy

That is, they agree that no real limit should be put on their spending. And that the US should do ‘whatever it takes’ to remain the world’s alpha nation.  

Why choose a course of action that inevitably results in national bankruptcy…inflation…and probably in military humiliation too?  

Why does an aging CEO…a senator…an old president…stay at his post long after he has ceased to be effective? Why did Charles XII, Napoleon and Hitler all decide to invade Russia? Why can’t Congress stop spending money it doesn’t have…and take up what George W. Bush promised the nation, a “more modest foreign policy?”

Yesterday, one member of Congress had had enough. Medialite reports:

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) has had just about enough of Congress and its unwillingness to handle the increasing amount of debt, and now she’s threatening to throw herself on the sword and resign. Ms. Spartz:

“If Congress does not pass a debt commission this year…I will not continue sacrificing my children for this circus …”

Bye, bye…Ms. Spartz.

Regards,

Bill Bonner