As of this writing, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is currently hiding out in Moscow and is seeking asylum in at least 20 countries as he continues to dodge U.S. extradition efforts. The fact that much of the world is ignoring U.S. demands to extradite Snowden reveals that America’s hegemonic power may be waning and that this decline is a welcome development for the future of individual liberty and international peace.
For at least 70 years, and especially in the last decade, the U.S. government has morphed into the largest and most extensive global power the world has ever known. Using a foreign policy based on the combination of “bombs and bribes,” the U.S. achieved its political interests abroad by spreading the wealth stolen from American taxpayers on obedient dictators or threatening those that didn’t comply with the most expensive and technologically advanced war machine in history.
The Roman Empire in its heyday may have had the ability to seek out and crush dissidents with its imperial umbrella, but still did not possess the global hyper-power that the U.S. does. As columnist Will Grigg puts it, “Not even Caligula, Commodus, or Diocletian had the ability to kill their enemies by remote control from half-way around the world.”
But global American power has been built on debt, borrowing, deficit-financing, heavy taxation, and inflating away the American middle class, a combination that, like Rome’s, can not be sustained forever. As the U.S. not only continues this path, but expands upon it with ever increasing military budgets and interventionism, the world is perhaps beginning to see that America’s threats are empty.
Edward Snowden’s Paul Revere-esque moves around the globe have helped confirm this loss of hegemony. China ignored requests by the U.S. to extradite Snowden, and despite the hysterical calls of Congress to “punish” Russia, Vladimir Putin — while less than enthusiastic about holding Snowden — appears to enjoy annoying the U.S.and is doing nothing while Snowden waits in Moscow.
While rumors of Ecuador granting Snowden asylum were a mistake, Ecuador has a recent history of standing up to U.S. meddling. They have granted Wikileaks’ Julian Assange, a man that American officials have publicly desired to be assassinated, asylum and protection. When President George W. Bush wanted to put a military base in Ecuador, President Rafael Correa agreed only on the condition that Ecuador get to put one of their own in Florida. Bush quickly backed off.
Europe too is openly defying the American empire. While in Dar es Salaam yesterday, President Obama defended the mass surveillance of European diplomats, arguing that is “standard practice” and would continue despite protests by European leaders. This type of arrogance and dismissiveness has led to political leaders in Germany and France to urge their countries to grant Snowden asylum.
Read more at :-http://libertycrier.com/government/edward-snowden-extradition-battle-puts-spotlight-on-u-s-tyranny-around-the-world/
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