> So an Obama victory would be nice, and make the transition
> easier for Americans, but realistically, the MacChurian
> Candidate would have no power to stop or even slow down
> this transformation.
Yes, there are limits to imperial power. If Iraq and Afghanistan don't show that, what does? Right?
But just because you cannot build things doesn't mean you cannot destroy things. The U.S. still has a military the size of the rest of the world's added together.
It doesn't seem to be in the nature of empires to go gently into that good night. More often, they would cling to life Therminatorlike (Henri Pirenne on the Romans) and -- when all else fails -- they are tempted to go up in flames (Patrick J Buchanan on the English).
So, unless you have good inside information, take them at their word:
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=5782924
News update: Following Morales' lead, Chávez is expelling his U.S. ambassador. Yesterday, a military conspiracy to kill him was uncovered. And the Russians are around, still conducting joint military exercises with the Venezuelans.