How did we get here? What kind of map did we use? Can we get back? If we could get back, exactly where would we be getting back to? To yesterday, last week, or last year – when north winds brought coolness and raucous flocks of geese headed south and we at least thought we could watch those peaceful migrations content in the belief that our government had everything under control? We now stare across a void of brooding time and distance into the daunting challenges to our own sanity, itself a threat, but for the empire these days everything is a threat; existential, no less. Especially notions of sanity derived from foreign shores; possibly even (gasp!) China. Yes, especially China; or Russia! Oh mercy; we’ve come undone! And look! Balloons!!! We can only dream in nightmares, our world is no longer gift wrapped with red, white, and blue ribbons, no there is much more to try and digest today. Uncle Sam has taken on a sinister bearing. The geese in Washington are honking ever louder nowadays as the only things they seem to be able to accomplish anymore is to completely alienate European friends, stoke the flames of war throughout the world, and sacrifice (albeit undeserved), influence in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Full-spectrum dominance, anyone?

I write as an American veteran of those years when we actually believed there was a damnable domino in southeast Asia that would succumb to some tenet of gravity known only to our leaders, and would surely and inexorably deprive all western people of someone’s unhinged iteration of freedom. The French back then had become unable to sustain mastery of a rebellious colony, and in order to stanch the flow of communism and with it the absolute larceny of freedom everywhere, the mighty US injected itself into a conflict that could have easily died a peaceful death without peddlers of stars and stripes getting involved in the murder of innocents.

I am now an old man and have seen all of the requisite variations of defending freedom, including helping nation after nation into whatever version of democratic paradise US leaders deemed appropriate and to be honest (which is absolutely forbidden), I’m kind of tired of it. Smedley Butler was a US Marine general who finally caught on to what is happening in the world, and actually tried to warn us, but from the time he spoke up until now, the government has taken over the media, (google Operation Mockingbird – itself another indication of a dying empire). The thrust of Butler’s warning actually had nothing to do with dominoes or freedom, but that he’d come to the realization that all wars are fought for the rich man. Wealthy bankers drive the bloodshed, and that is both to protect their wealth, and amass more. And buy shiny new yachts, jets, and governments (like ours), and of course, souls of men.

There are always people who are willing, for a price, to bring misery to the lives of, even to kill, other people. Some call them whores, a comparison which is grossly unfair fair to ladies of the night. Many are beckoned, be they generals, congress persons, alphabet soup organizations, and now days they even seem to be able to find scientists and medical doctors willing to sell themselves into treachery. Mostly though, they engage normal people like you and me, give them a gun and a fancy pair of sunglasses and feed them tidbits of whatever “secret” dishonesty is playing so they feel important – like they are part of something bigger than themselves, so they dare not allow something as mundane as their conscience to interfere with their assignments. The wealthy are always able to recruit people from whatever walk of life necessary to do their bidding. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. It only follows that if one encounters a man that cannot be bought – in other words if his principles are more important to him than riches – one has found a rare gem in this world. This is the type of person of which our country is in dire need for leadership. We have none. We find ourselves at a (the) seminal moment in human history, and we have no leadership! Not one actual stand-up leader in all of the government of the USA. How sad is that? I personally believe there are honorable men who could do the job, but they are necessarily barred from any position where they could make a difference, even in the unlikely event that such men might be willing to operate in the government cesspit.

Our dilemma is based in large part on society’s definition of “success”. Think about it, if we say a man is successful, we automatically think of his wealth, and I’m not going to beat around the bush – wealthy people are evil by nature. That’s why Jesus said that for all intents and purposes, they won’t go to heaven. A man’s financial status has sadly and inexplicably become one of the fundamental attributes that allow him to be considered for public office – which means we get the exact opposite kind of person we need running our country. We end up with the most execrable creatures possible in the very positions where they can inflict the most damage to the citizenry. These “successful” types are invariably the least qualified to perform public service, but here they are, and here we are – trying to make sense of the insanity that passes for leadership nowadays in America.

Long ago, some good men were able to wrest power from an earlier version of evil wealthy elites and build this nation. Sure, they had faults, but such was their dedication to this republic, they were willing to die to establish it. Incrementally since those days, the quality of individuals that staff our high offices diminished until we find ourselves where we are today – completely bereft of any hint of leadership and the stench is overwhelming. The cream did not rise to the top. None of the people in today’s US government care one iota about the citizens, nor do they care for the nation, their concerns are strictly about their (typically offshore) bank accounts. Easily purchasable for the highest bidder. Thanks to unconstitutional outrages like Citizens United. And if money can’t buy them, they can meet with misfortune on the streets of Dallas or get Epsteined.

Our intelligence agencies have no oversight or accountability. They are so free to do as they will, they could probably bomb some big city buildings with airplanes in full view of millions of people and completely get away with it. Or maybe destroy some ally’s underwater pipeline. Or operate illegal bio-weapons labs or torture sites. Oh, wait… When I was young, the America I knew, or thought I knew, would not have been suspected of such things – especially torturing POWs. Now US leaders in an endless embarrassing public spectacle, openly brag about this kind of behavior. A dying empire indeed!

Well, we’ve gotten ourselves into a pickle, for sure. I’m just concerned that all the people in other countries of the world might believe a majority of Americans support such depravity, and I’m here to assure one and all that is not the case. I speak for a considerable part of our population, veterans especially, when I say I have nothing against Russia. In fact, for my part, I envy the Russian people for having such admirable men of distinction as Putin, Peskov, and Lavrov running and speaking for their country. Men of intelligence and integrity, and how about their director of the Information and Press, Maria Zakharova instead of the screeching sophomoric crones like Thomas-Greenfield, Albright, Nikky Haley, Victoria Nuland, and Hillary Clinton? Seriously, are these overt insults to decency and sensibility the best people we can field to represent our nation to the world? I’m not even going to talk about Blinken or his underling in the white house.

The US is surely a dying empire, and if this is the best we can do for leadership, maybe it’s best we go quietly into the night instead of putting up such an embarrassing spectacle. The whole world watches our every move. They hear the lies. They know the US government is lying every time they say anything, and are aghast that, incredibly, our leaders act as though they deserve to be believed when they say something. Now, figure that one out! It would be interesting to keep a running list of all the lies that have been told both from the mouths of politicians, and from the mainstream media (talk about embarrassing) on our foreign policy. Especially the reactions of our esteemed UN reps when confronted with the accusation of an obvious action like Nord Stream. “Preposterous!” – in bold headlines. It’s sad, but I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Seriously, what good is it to have such a stable of expert liars if people have already decided not to believe anything they say even before they start talking? We have a credibility starved government; ergo no one is listening – nor should they. “Agreement incapable” is such a polite, apt, and typically Russian, description of the incompetent behavior. And the folks in the RoW shake their heads in dismay to watch and hear this blatant insanity and dishonesty from leaders of a nation once respected by the world.

Meanwhile, in the empire’s death throes and at the behest of wealthy American Elites, young men, and now women and old men too, are dying by the hundreds of thousands in another faraway place where the US has no strategic interest, and even if we did, there are countless other ways to accomplish foreign policy without all the death and destruction; but then death and destruction is dutifully performed in servitude to their real master, the source of their wealth who wouldn’t have it any other way.

Again – it ain’t us average Americans that are pushing this murderous travesty in Ukraine. In fact, most of us don’t support it at all. If you have a (perfectly reasonable) suspicion of warmongering by Americans, remember it’s just a small percentage of our “successful” men, abetted by with the simplest among us who still suffer from the ever-dishonest and ever-dwindling media influence. The evil doers are so well entrenched by now that there is little us commoners can do except to try and let God and the world know that we do not stand with them. They have declared war on us too.

Speaking of success, my definition is at odds with the accepted notion; my idea of true success is standing before the judgement seat of Jesus Christ and hearing “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” That, my friend, will be the pinnacle of success; of His grace. When that day gets here, you’ll see. I hope to be too caught up with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ enjoying the rapture of His company to remember to say I told you so.

If we continue blindly walking down this path we’re on, there is likely to be a major catastrophic war, from which only a few (or none) of us might survive. Then it won’t matter if you agree with this post or not. Not much will matter if that happens, other than where you stand with Jesus. That will make all the difference in this world and the next, for you. If you aren’t right with Jesus, you’d best get right. Not a lot of time left to attend to it either. Free bibles can be found and Jesus patiently awaits to welcome you into His kingdom. There are lots of good Christian preachers around who’ll be glad to show you what you need to do. Find one today. When you take a good look at the state of evil in the world right now, especially in this Empire of Lies, Jesus becomes remarkably easy to believe.

Then let’s bow out of this tragic mistake and let the miserable ghost of this miserable empire join those of all the earlier ones to haunt what’s left of this miserable world.

Revelation 18:20 (After modern Babylon (the US?) has been destroyed) “Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgement she imposed on you.”