The Empire Strikes Back

Like a cornered animal, the United States Empire is beginning to lash out. 

Its self inflicted wounds—military over reach, crippling debt, and the purposeful deindustrialization of its economy coupled with an international backlash over forced acquiescence has reached an inflection point. As a result, decisions within the halls of power in DC and Lower Manhattan appear to be leaning in the direction of further chaos, restricted freedoms and peace for the masses. 

The signs are unmistakable: flagrant violations of both domestic and international law, the suppression of free speech, increased spying, a crack down on dissent, the mass imprisonment and deportation of an immigrant work force, the economic subjugation of trading partners via ruinous tariffs, the illegal acts of aggression against Iran—a founding member of the United Nations— and never ending support for the repugnant Genocide in Gaza are very clear indications the Empire is reacting on impulse over reason. The recent passage of a Tax and Spending bill, allocating one trillion to a sprawling Military-Industrial-Spy Complex—much of it privatized—underscores further government profligacy. 

At first glance, the chaos may seem like a mere amplification of partisan division ignited by an administration that espouses a more virulent and unapologetic form of State-Sponsored Capitalism—aka Corporatism or Corporate Socialism. But upon further inspection, the problem reveals itself to be much more complex with a potentially massive impact on the American way of life. And for this, future actions will most likely be justified.

To fully understand the the seriousness of the problem, one needs to acknowledge two issues at its heart—both, intrinsically linked and essential to its root.

1. The US dollar (Petrodollar) and its influence on world economies.

2. The BRICS Alliance.

For those who are unaware, a brief explanation.

The Petrodollar - In 1974, the Nixon Administration brokered a pivotal deal with the Saudi Kingdom. Under this agreement, Saudi Arabia, and eventually all OPEC nations, committed to selling oil exclusively in U.S. dollars. In effect, any nation wishing to purchase oil had no choice but to first acquire U.S. dollars. This unprecedented and exorbitant privilege enabled the United States to run massive trade deficits without triggering currency collapse. It empowered Washington to import foreign goods at discounted rates, expand its consumer markets globally, and finance its vast military and entitlement spending without constraint. In return, the U.S. offered military protection to the Saudi Monarchy as long as oil profits were funneled back into the U.S. economy through the purchase of Treasury bonds. The continual recycling of petrodollars stabilizes the dollar while financing America's spiraling debt—which now sits at a staggering $36 trillion.

The BRICS Alliance - In 2009, Brazil, Russia, India, and China—four rising powers from different corners of the world—came together to form a strategic bloc aimed at counterbalancing U.S. dominance in global trade and finance. Shortly thereafter, South Africa joined to complete the group which became known to the world as BRICS. By 2024, BRICS expanded into BRICS+, welcoming five new full members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Just a year later, in 2025, the bloc extended partnership status to ten additional nations: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Uganda, and Vietnam. This expanded alliance now represents over 44% of global GDP and 56% of the world’s population with a commanding share of the planet’s natural resources—energy, rare earth minerals, and agriculture.

Up until the turn of the 21rst century, the petrodollar privilege had manifest undisputed US control over the planet and remained unchallenged. But then came the Middle East wars of aggression turned occupations. Almost overnight, the white hats turned a very dark shade of grey while the global community took notice. Two wars (Afghanistan and Iraq) turned to seven (Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan) while draining trillions from the US tax paying public as they helplessly watched their prosperous employment offshored to lowest bidder nations. 

Commensurately, the money printers had no choice but to increase their velocity as deindustrialization turned into paper swapping—aka financialization—meaning, an economy increasingly driven by speculative trading, asset inflation, and debt-fueled consumption rather than productive investment. Increased liquidity necessitated the extraction of additional concessions from foreign economies including the forced privatization of state owned assets in developing countries and the implementation of suffocating unilateral sanctions. Today, roughly one-third of the globe is subject to U.S. led sanctions which are considered illegal under International law and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

Clearly, these Mafia styled tactics were never sustainable and bound to foment some level of blowback.

Enter the BRICS Alliance. 

As a method of economic self-defense against dollar-based coercion, the BRICS nations began to promote trade within the bloc using their sovereign currencies—a deliberate move toward de-dollarization. To further this goal, they established the New Development Bank (NDB) to finance sustainable infrastructure and development projects within member countries and allied nations, providing capital without the political strings of Western lending. Ultimately, they aim to create a competitive currency with the ability to challenge dollar supremacy on the international stage.

In addition, other acts of petrodollar defiance have raised serious concerns in Washington and among global financial elites. China and India have begun purchasing Iranian oil using Yuan and Rupees, bypassing the dollar entirely. The United Arab Emirates recently sold liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China and most notably, Saudi Arabia—the cornerstone of the original petrodollar agreement—has openly considered accepting Yuan for oil sales to China. Such a move would not only undermine the dollar’s role as the world's reserve currency but could effectively unwind 75 years of U.S. economic dominance.

Recent events underscore the intensifying efforts by the United States to confront and contain the rise of BRICS-aligned powers. A seemingly endless proxy war in Ukraine continues to drain Russian military strength and domestic resources. An unprovoked and illegal military act of aggression toward Iran with the intent of regime change remains open ended, volatile and unresolved. In the Pacific, the Pentagon has publicly committed to an aggressive posture toward China, exemplified by large-scale Air Force exercises simulating high-intensity conflict in the region. The convergence of military pressure with financial containment suggests the global contest for power is entering a more dangerous and multipolar phase.

The imposition of additional tariffs specifically targeting BRICS nations is yet another indication that U.S. concern has reached a critical threshold. And for good reason: a competing international currency would severely undermine the Empire’s ability to dictate foreign policy, endlessly print money without triggering runaway inflation, and—most crucially—manufacture more billionaires through a financial mechanism that is specifically designed to inflate asset values. This legalized system of financial extraction disproportionately benefits the wealthiest one percent, allowing them to accumulate massive fortunes, then power, while the burden of servicing the debt—both principal and interest—falls on domestic and international taxpayers. Essentially, socializing debt while privatizing wealth.

To add insult to injury, the systematic looting of the U.S. Treasury continues unabated—and with near-total impunity. This includes the dismantling of regulatory agencies designed to safeguard the public interest, further deregulation of monopolistic practices and the privatization of public commons to reward corporate sponsors and political donors. Anyone under the illusion that extending tax cuts to multinational corporations and the wealthiest ten percent improves the quality of life for the average citizen need only consult data from the previous four decades when Trickle Down Economics was sold to the public as a net positive. Turns out, the exact opposite happened as it became the greatest upward transfer of wealth in recorded history, enriching a tiny elite while eroding the economic foundations of the middle and working classes. Clearly, they knew what they were doing!

Is anybody really surprised at our predicament?

After all, any system built on greed and avarice is most likely going to find itself in a corner as it struggles to protect its assets from those it exploited. The scenario becomes even more dangerous when the system owns and profits from a military that receives a defense budget greater than nine of the worlds largest countries-combined. And that doesn't include ICE, an ostensibly nonmilitary organization with 75 billion to play with over the next four years.

Will cooler heads prevail? Doubtful. Most acts of desperation tend to have adverse affects on desired intentions and in turn, fuel a cycle of destruction, then self destruction — or at the very least, extended and unnecessary pain. History is not on our side.

Realistically, all nations—including the United States—should welcome the rise of an organization like the BRICS Alliance because it represents something the world desperately needs—balance. And balance is the foundation of sustainability. A sustainable global system allows for manageable, inclusive growth—growth that generates prosperity for all, not just the privileged few who currently control the levers of power.

Ironically, this vision echoes the very ideals at the heart of the American experiment: Freedom, Democracy, Liberty. 

Not Oligarchy. Not Economic Coercion. Not Global Dictatorship

A Multipolar World isn’t a threat to American Values—it’s an opportunity to realign with them.

There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning.

– Warren Buffet

Net Worth 140.8 billion

“Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes…God never intended for one group of people to live in superfluous inordinate wealth, while others live in abject deadening poverty.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,

Where wealth accumulates, and men decay.”

–Oliver Goldsmith

Anglo-Irish writer (1730-1774)