American policy makers appear to be doing whatever they can to maintain American global supremacy and the American empire. The war of choice in Ukraine was part of a larger effort to contain China. China is deemed as the greater threat because China could supplant America within the next century.
What these folks never seem to ask is “Why?” Why is it necessary to do whatever it takes to maintain American supremacy?
A decade ago, I happened to meet a US coronel on leave from Afghanistan. His role was in strategy, so he was one of the individuals creating the failed strategy in Afghanistan. We had an in-depth conversation and I kept pressing him about what was the US interest in Afghanistan. I wanted him to tell me the “why”.
His response never varied from “Look where it is on the map! Iran to the west, China and India and Russia nearby. It was as if he couldn't understand a question regarding the US national interest.
My relative who currently works interfacing with diplomats and the military and the intelligence in foreign affairs has told me in runs into this issue over and over again. Most don't even understand the need to question why.
When the ends justify the means, then we need to make sure of the validity of the ends.
In the 1977 movie Capricorn One, the astronaut played by Josh Brolin states, “If I have to become the very thing I hate to save a thing, then maybe it isn't worth saving”, after being told NASA is faking a space mission and the astronauts are asked to participate in the scam.
In the movie, the astronauts are threatened by Hal Holbrook’s NASA bureaucrat character if they do not comply. “Do I have to spell it out? Your families are all on the same plane.”
I suspect most in government entered with good intentions of serving the country, at least as it furthered their careers. Sure, there are teenage sociopaths hell-bent on power, but those are likely the exceptions. Once they get mugged by the reality the imperial bureaucracy and the ruling oligarchy, most just join in and get socialized into violating the Constitution, believing their ends justify those violations. Or they get threatened, blackmailed, or bribed to go along with the schemes.
Late stage empires are full of such individuals who are willing accomplices to the decline, while believing it is o.k. They tell themselves that they are protecting democracy by preventing the will of the people. The oligarchs spending to destroy America believe that their ends are good.
In my experience in history and law, almost no one can accept that they are the villains. They justify whatever actions they take. They demonize others and say, “I had to do it because Orange Man Bad” or “fascist” or “communist” or the like.
It is a psychological self-defense that prevents us from looking at uncomfortable truths. Our elites are no different. Even true evil masterminds like Soros believe that they are serving the greater good.
I used to be like that. After 9/11, I was so angry that I felt anything was justified to prevent another one. But I thought we were obliged to rebuild Iraq, and should have left Afghanistan after taking out Bin Laden. I could only see being in Afghanistan as a way to influence Pakistan and Iran, but we weren’t even doing that. We were trying to turn them into good liberals, while enriching the MIC. What a waste