Ah , Another malignant fuck

[Charles Brown]

Max:
I would go further to say that 9/11 clearly strengthens the 
Empire. One only has to consider the U.S. military expansionist role 
that is struggling to be born, the collaboration of Russia and the 
U.S., the developing cloak of 'UN/international coalition' backing for 
such ventures, and the shutdown of the anti-globalization action. 
On the simplest level, all can see the establishment of many new 
U.S. military/spook bases and prospective incursions in places 
heretofore thought out of bounds. 

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CB: Max, have you given up on all those silverlinings out of Sept. 11 that you were listing a while back ?

By the way, the U.S. military expansionist role is way beyond being born. It is past middle age.

I think that the American people feel a lot more vulnerable following Sept. 11. It was a shocking breach of national defense as people have come to expect it.  This creates a crisis for the U.S.. The first response by the U.S. is aimed at restoring a feeling of strength in the wake of a feeling of vulnerability unprecedented for the living generation of Americans. The quick victory in Afghanistan gives some feeling that the old American invincibility or strength is restored, but deep down does anybody really feel that ? Surely,  Americans' travels outside he homeland are much more vulnerable, and that weakness is aggravated , not assuaged by the victory in Afghanistan. 

The final impact of Sept. 11 on U.S. domestic and foreign strength and vulnerability, life and death concerns may not be measurable yet. Although the enormous military puffing right now certainly gives the right the initiative , it would be premature to say that the long term effect might not be a crisis and defeat for the U.S. empire.