The sorrows of empire : militarism, secrecy, and the end of the Republic / Chalmers Johnson.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

In the years after the Soviet Union imploded, the United States was described first as the globe{u2019}s 2lone superpower,3 then as a 2reluctant sheriff,3 next as the 2indispensable nation,3 and now, in the wake of 9/11, as a 2New Rome.3 Here, Chalmers Johnson thoroughly explores the new militarism that is transforming America and compelling its people to pick up the burden of empire. Reminding us of the classic warnings against militarism{u2014}from George Washington{u2019}s farewell address to Dwight Eisenhower{u2019}s denunciation of the military-industrial complex{u2014}Johnson uncovers its roots deep in our past. Turning to the present, he maps America{u2019}s expanding empire of military bases and the vast web of services that supports them. He offers a vivid look at the new caste of professional warriors who have infiltrated multiple branches of government, who classify as 2secret3 everything they do, and for whom the manipulation of the military budget is of vital interest. Among Johnson{u2019}s provocative conclusions is that American militarism is putting an end to the age of globalization and bankrupting the United States, even as it creates the conditions for a new century of virulent blowback. The Sorrows of Empire suggests that the former American republic has already crossed its Rubicon{u2014}with the Pentagon leading the way.