History has shown us that empires
crumble when their thirst for power overtakes all other
sensibilities.
According to United States Army Colonel
Lawrence
Wilkerson, America could stand on the precipice of such
destruction. His insights form the foundation of the short
documentary The Empire's Ship is Sinking, and it's a
rarely-heard point of view from inside the heart of the beast.
Wilkerson knows of which he speaks.
He flew over a thousand
combat missions during the war in Vietnam. He later served as
the National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, and as
Chief of Staff to General Colin Powell during the administration
of President
George W. Bush.
He possesses intimate knowledge of
the
inner workings of war, and has witnessed first-hand how the
propulsion of endless conflict continues to line the pockets of
the very wealthy and decimate the existence of the lower classes
worldwide.
Many key tenants of modern-day warfare are covered in the brief,
yet wide-ranging interview that structures the film.
From the
more than 800 bases the United States military operates across
the globe to the increased proliferation of weapons
manufacturing, conflict means big business for the American
elite.
There seems to be no profitability in peace.
The wealth
created by these global skirmishes does not promote a more
productive capitalistic society, because none of it falls
downward in support of the lower classes. In some cases, as
Colonel Wilkerson points out, foreign policy is based more on
business considerations than humanitarian ones.
The issue is so complex and far-reaching that pinning the blame
on a single culprit becomes muddied and elusive. In a way, we
are all complicit. According to some reports, over 70% of
retired military generals are recruited by the nation’s top
weapons manufacturers as spokespeople and advisors.
It falls on
them to convincingly sell the need for continued conflict to the
American people. In large part, the citizenry accepts these
arguments without question or protest.
Wilkerson contends that such a path is unsustainable, and will
surely spell doom for America's reputation, economic vitality
and moral dominance in the world.
The 'Empire's Ship is Sinking',
forces us to consider the corporate complex that drives
America’s violent incursions across the globe.
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