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Rome\'s decline and the U.S.
#52
Quote:I used to see the USA as Rome even years ago but of late I think we will end up more like Carthage with our spineless politicians.

Now the decline of Carthage was really something else! Instead of throwing the full support of the city behind Hannibal in order to bring the war to a swift and victorious end, the Carthaginian merchant aristocracy was happy enough that Hannibal bought them some time from the Romans to continue their trading. Talk about short-sightedness!

In school, the teacher told us that the Punic Wars marked the defeat of the - petty-minded - trader by the patriotic peasant and I have never found reason to revise his view. There is a lot to learn from the Punic Wars, the way it went and its final outcome, today just as then.

Schwarzkopf said that the principles of war have not changed since Hannibal, and I believe this applies just as much to the rise and fall of nations and civilizations. Every generation has to learn the lesson anew that nothing is granted and that everything you own has to be fought for in order to be kept. It's not just the USA, but the entire West which has increasingly shut its eyes and ears towards this lesson and is getting complacent as if history had somehow stopped, eternally securing its place in the sun and its continued existence.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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Messages In This Thread
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by mike esposito - 10-17-2012, 08:43 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-17-2012, 09:09 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Fidelis Sam - 10-17-2012, 09:21 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Epictetus - 10-17-2012, 10:14 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Matthew Lehman - 10-18-2012, 05:36 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Macedon - 10-18-2012, 06:17 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Nikanor - 10-18-2012, 03:21 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-18-2012, 05:31 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by mike esposito - 10-18-2012, 08:04 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Alexand96 - 10-18-2012, 10:34 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Matthew Lehman - 10-19-2012, 02:39 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Draconis ( Tom) - 10-19-2012, 05:30 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-19-2012, 05:12 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-19-2012, 05:28 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Alexand96 - 10-19-2012, 06:52 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Alexand96 - 10-19-2012, 06:57 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-20-2012, 04:39 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Caballo - 10-21-2012, 12:38 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Pyrgopolynices - 10-21-2012, 07:04 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Matthew Lehman - 10-21-2012, 09:42 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Matthew Lehman - 10-21-2012, 10:10 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-21-2012, 05:21 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by M. Demetrius - 10-22-2012, 09:20 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by mike esposito - 10-22-2012, 09:34 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by M. Demetrius - 10-23-2012, 09:24 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-23-2012, 11:03 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-23-2012, 05:23 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by M. Demetrius - 10-23-2012, 05:39 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-23-2012, 06:30 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Alexand96 - 10-23-2012, 08:58 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by mike esposito - 10-23-2012, 11:57 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Epictetus - 10-24-2012, 09:07 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-24-2012, 05:19 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-24-2012, 05:25 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-24-2012, 05:30 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Robert Vermaat - 10-24-2012, 06:12 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Robert Vermaat - 10-24-2012, 06:14 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-24-2012, 08:00 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-24-2012, 08:07 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-24-2012, 08:15 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-24-2012, 09:19 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-25-2012, 04:03 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-25-2012, 06:57 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Epictetus - 10-25-2012, 09:18 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-25-2012, 05:00 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Michael William - 10-26-2012, 12:47 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Caballo - 10-26-2012, 02:44 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Michael William - 10-26-2012, 01:09 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Caballo - 10-26-2012, 01:24 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-26-2012, 04:39 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by M. Demetrius - 10-27-2012, 04:02 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Eleatic Guest - 10-29-2012, 04:59 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-29-2012, 11:36 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-30-2012, 04:20 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Narukami - 10-30-2012, 09:01 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 10-31-2012, 04:54 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Draconis ( Tom) - 11-01-2012, 10:38 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Tim Donovan - 11-01-2012, 07:57 PM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Draconis ( Tom) - 11-02-2012, 02:50 AM
Rome\'s decline and the U.S. - by Robert Vermaat - 11-02-2012, 03:14 PM

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