America is in a meltdown. And the world is watching. We are a nation of haves and have-nots governed by lunatics and liars. I don't know if Bush and his neocon friends are completely incompetent, criminally insane, or just really, really evil. Whatever the case, I'm afraid that another un-natural disaster, worse than Katrina or 9/11, is just around the corner.

According to published reports, the Bush Administration has developed plans to nuke Iran back to the Stone Age, an act which could take a large part of the region with it. Many observers believe that Bush wants to invoke Marshall Law here as well. Rumor has it that Bush will use a 'staged' nuclear attack on the U.S. as pretext for his pillage. It will be an inside job, but blamed on Iran. State-sponsored terrorism against a nation's own citizens is a familiar ruse. Most people won't have a clue, thanks to our criminally-complicit corporate news media.

To succeed with such as plan, Bush would need to hold the American public under tighter control than ever before. To that end, much has been done. America is already a corporately-controlled nation. During elections, domestic and foreign corporations electronically process over 80% of all voters' ballots with no meaningful oversight or transparency possible. Corporations own most of the news media and telecommunications. A private Internet (Global Information Grid, or GIG) is currently under construction for use by the military and government only. So, the public Internet could be shut down easily. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reduced bandwidth for ham (shortwave) radio operators, further restricting low-cost public communications.

Enforcement of the Patriot Act will end civil liberties as we know them. There are reports that South American paramilitary units have been recruited to operate in the U.S. in order to cull dissidents from the general public. They may already be here. Peace activists in Miami suspect that private security personnel from South or Central America have been used by the Miami police during demonstrations there.

Our military is seriously understaffed and underfunded, while private security forces get billions in no-bid contracts. Military installations in America are closing, as private companies build secret prisons and bases around the world.

All these moves are clearly designed to leave Americans completely defenseless against their own government. The rest of the world is also at risk. With Congress in a coma, our military officers and enlisted personnel might consider their options. It looks like we're all are being set-up for a take-down of epic proportions. They've done it before. The free-market fanatics at the helm of this nation have a decades-long track record of death and destruction around the world. We are a nation ruled by thugs. They start wars on helpless countries, outsource American jobs and resources, and pollute the planet for profit. They are relentless.

Today, the "Game Theory of World Domination" is in full play by the Bush Administration. Chaos and confusion is their stock in trade. Shock and awe are their weapons of choice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

What's important at this point is not their actions, but ours. More and more Americans understand that the common people need to take charge. People from New York and New Orleans know the score. We cannot trust this government. We must be as prepared as possible for any eventuality.

America is imploding. A new world will emerge. Things will change. At the very least, we should never again allow wealth and power to concentrate in the hands of the privileged few. Only respect for the common good will improve our chances for survival on this planet. Until then, may the victims of our cowardice and stupidity forgive us.


Lynn Landes is the publisher of EcoTalk.org and a freelance journalist who specializes in voting, the environment, and health.