From now on, the American empire assumes itself with no complex at all, it’s even theorized by the elites of a country that accepts that democratic ideals are not theirs anymore. Thus, the Heritage Foundation held a conference on the lessons of the Roman empire for today’s America (The Lessons of the Roman Empire for America Today). As in Rome, the United States is called to play its role as a superpower by means of war and devastation. The American imperialism is not a mental construction of leftists or other alter-worldists. It’s a reality, in fact.
The very well known Heritage Foundation held a conference about the lessons of the Roman Empire for today’s America (The Lessons of the Roman Empire for America Today) at the end of December 2005 in its facilities in Washington, thus proving that American imperialism is not a mental construction of “leftists” or alter-worldists. On the contrary, elites closed to power seem to assume the imperial plans of the country with no complex at all.
Professor J. Rufus Fears devotes himself to establishing a parallelism between the Roman Empire and the United States, especially with regard to the Iraqi colonial adventure, based on the history of the United States and that of the Roman Empire during its period of expansion to the Middle East. Both empires would be the only and absolute superpowers in the world because of their military, political, economic and cultural dominance.
After making a brief review of the Romans’ great achievements in the cultural, architectural and their alleged market economy that brought about social mobility, the reasons to explain the decline and the fall of the empire followed. The policy towards eastern Europe and the Middle East were to be blamed.
Romans began their expansionist phase in the Middle East in the II Century BC to “restore order and stability in the region” where they were later politically involved to establish, from the I Century BC, the Vassal States which had a vast autonomy. Finally, they had no choice but the military occupation and the direct administration of the whole region almost since the II Century AD.
The Persia that Julius Caesar planned to attack was not a Roman ambition for it was considered to be hardly “absorbed” and it kept an influence that was accepted by Rome. However, the Middle East was quickly transformed into a difficult spot mainly because of the civil war in Judea and the riots in Egypt. This showed what the limits of the Roman empire were and taxed the Empire’s finances. Consequences were imminent. On the one hand, the Germanic tribes formed federations and other coalitions to challenge the Empire in the Western flank, and, at the same time, Persia’s expansionism gradually took control of the eastern borders of the Empire.
In short, just to bring such facts to the current context and to get the lessons from the past, the United States would do good by not trusting Iran and regional blocs like the European Union! The empire must be global and no front should be neglected.
J. Rufus Fears got five lessons from it. First, liberal democracies hardly accept their neighbours. Therefore, the countries of the Mediterranean bank have lived for a long time in a permanent state of war between nations. Peace and prosperity have only been possible under the control of the empire. Second, institutions of freedom are not easily exported. Romans understood that liberty was not a universal value and that peoples gave priority to security, something they were capable of providing. Third, an empire can not be ruled by a constitution drafted for a city-state as Rome was during its foundation. Consequently, Romans decided to accept the military dictatorship that would allow them to remain a superpower. Forth, a superpower can’t back down for much hatred would emerge. The fifth and last lesson taken from the Roman empire is that legacy or the balance to posterity is what counts.
From now on, the American empire is theorized and accepted by the elites of a country that does not follow the principles of democracy to assume and accept its role of superpower by means of war and depredation of resources.
These are the links for the transcription:
– The Lessons of the Roman Empire for America Today
The Heritage Foundation (PDF
288 Kb)
– Link for the repetition of the conference video ( Real audio)
Defense
– Rapport au Parlement sur les exportations d’armaments de la France en 2004
France, Ministry of Defense (
Html)
– What Factors Affect the Military Enlistment of Hispanic Youth?
The Rand Corporation (PDF
494 Kb)
– Homeland Security: DHS Needs to Improve Ethics-Related Management Controls for the Science and Technology Directorate
United States, The Government Accountability Office (PDF
459 Kb)
– Defense Inventory: Army Needs to Strengthen Internal Controls for Items Shipped to repair contractors
United States, The Government Accountability Office (PDF
613 Kb)
– A New Direction for China’s Defense Industry
The Rand Corporation (PDF
1,9 Mb)
Human Rights/Governance Norms
– Fiches de synthèse du rapport final de l’instance équité et réconciliation
Morocco, Instance équité et réconciliation (
Html)
– Common Measures for Discrimination
Norway, Centre for Combating Ethnic Discrimination (PDF
1,8 Mb)
– Probable Cause: Evidence Implicating Fujimori
Human Rights Watch (PDF
522 Kb)
– Inside the Home, Outside the Law Abuse of Child Domestic Workers in Morocco
Human Rights Watch (PDF
560 Kb)
– Freedom in the World 2005: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties
Freedom House (
Html)
– Visite du Comité européen pour la prévention de la torture et des peines ou traitements inhumans ou dégradants (CPT) dans le département de la Reunión du 13 au 20 décembre 2004
Conseil de l’Europe, Comité européen pour la prévention de la torture et des peines ou traitements inhumains ou dégradants (PDF
310 Kb)
Report of the international mission to the Ecuadorean border with Colombia
International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR) (PDF
486 Kb)
– Étude des méthodes de travail de la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme
European Council (PDF
309 Kb)
Economy
– Evaluation of the Performance of Network Industries Providing Services of General Economic Interest 2005 Report
Commission of The European Communities (PDF
81 Kb)
– The Effects of Liberalizing World Agricultural Trade: A Survey
United States, Congressional Budget Office (PDF
962 Kb)
– Reports on core labour standards in the countries applying for the GSP-PLUS
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (PDF
738 Kb)
– Economic report on Africa 2005
Economic Commission for Africa (PDF
2,8 Mb)
– Preliminary overview of the Latin America and Caribbean economies 2005
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (PDF
950 Kb)
States: monographs
– Democratic Republic of Congo Elections in sight: “Don’t Rock the Boat”?
Human Rights Watch (PDF
277 Kb)
– Ethiopia and Eritrea: Preventing War
International Crisis Group (PDF
407 Kb)
– Philippines Terrorism: The Role of Militant Islamic Converts
International Crisis Group (PDF
1,3 Mb)
– Libya and the U.S.: Qadhafi Unrepentant
The Middle East Quarterly, Invierno 2006 Vol. 13 (
Html)
– Can Egypt’s Troubled Elections Produce a More Democratic Future?
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (PDF
148 Kb)
– The indigenous peoples of Bolivia: socio-demographic diagnosis from the 2001 census
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (PDF
1,5 Mb)
– Furthering Democracy in Mexico
Foreign Affairs (
Html)
– Liberia’s Post-War Recovery: Key Issues and Development
The Congressionnal Research Service (PDF
95 Kb)
Europe
– Doing Business with the Euro: Risks and Opportunities
– The Rand Corporation (PDF
300 Kb)
– Eurobaromètre 64, L’opinion publique dans l’Union Européenne
European Union (PDF
935 Kb)
– The rejection to the project of the European Constitution: a retrospective analysis
Elcano Royal Institute (PDF
114 Kb)
Energy/oil
– Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources
Commission of The European Communities (PDF
622 Kb)
Environment
– Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2004
United States, Department of Energy (PDF
627 Kb)
– Indicators for the Integration of Environmental Concerns
into the Common Agricultural Policy
Commission of The European Communities (PDF
131 Kb)
– Statistical Information needed for Indicators to monitor the Integration of Environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy
Commission of The European Communities (PDF
109 Kb)
Immigration
– Immigration Benefits: Improvements Needed to Address Backlogs and Ensure Quality of Adjudications
United States, The Government Accountability Office (PDF
1,9 Mb)
Iraq
– Developing Iraq’s Security Sector
The Rand Corporation (PDF
400 Kb)
– Sustainment of Army Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedomm
The Rand Corporation (PDF
1,1 Mb)
– The Impact of the Iraqi Election: A Working Analysis
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (PDF
603 Kb)
Israel
– Report on East Jerusalem
European Union (PDF
74 Kb)
– A Human Rights Review on the EU and Israel: Relating Commitments to Actions 2004-2005
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (PDF
518 Kb)
International Relations
– The Middle East Peace Talks
The Congressionnal Research Service (PDF
100 Kb)
– Just Cause for War
Ethics and International Affairs, Vol. 19 (PDF
499 Kb)
– States of War
New Left Review (PDF
137 Kb)
– The Mexican-U.S. Partnership: Enhancing Our Common Security
The Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (PDF
673 Kb)
Society
– Familienreport 2005
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V (PDF
309 Kb)
– Rapport national sur l’état du phénomène de la drogue au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (RELIS - édition 2005)
Réseau luxembourgeois d’information sur les stupéfiants et les toxicomanies (RELIS). (PDF
4 Mb)
– La mise en application de la loi n° 2005-158 du 23 février 2005 portant reconnaissance de la Nation et contribution nationale en faveur des Français rapatriés
France, National Assembly (PDF
181 Kb)
– Who Will Control the Internet?
Foreign Affairs (
Html)
Terrorism
– La lutte contre le terrorisme et dispositions diverses relatives à la sécurité et aux contrôles frontaliers
France, National Assembly (PDF
353 Kb)
Stay In Touch
Follow us on social networks
Subscribe to weekly newsletter