2030: The End of the American Century Chapter 2
2030: The End of the American Century
novel by EDGAR NUÑEZ
Chapter 2
White House, Washington DC
Historians generally agree the Pacific Century officially began sometime before 2015. By the year 2029, the Chinese economy produced a Gross National Product of $30 trillion while the US has contracted to the 2010 levels of $19 trillion. Japan produced $12 trillion, United Korea another $9 trillion. The Southeast Asian countries came up with $10 trillion. World trade was run on purely pragmatic terms as the dominant Chinese strictly endorsed the new rule: no one was to impose his values on anybody. Everybody was entitled to self-determination as long as he traded well & big. The Americans were unceremoniously rebuffed whenever they tried inserting the usual conditions to their contracts. Sanctions became forgotten words in international relations.
However, in the year 2030, the US still had the biggest military in the world. Many more countries had gone nuclear- Iran, Japan, United Korea - but as China raced past the US in economic supremacy, the last 5 successive Republican Presidents bravely incurred even more deficits as they built up frantically the American military to mollify paranoid egos. Their main problem was how to turn it into a sort of sword of Damocles to sway countries. They became more rabid preaching about Democracy as the world became less democratic but they couldn’t just bomb any recalcitrant country. Somebody from the American Enterprise Institute advised the last US President to intimidate the world ( either you’re with us or against us) but only the poor West Europeans publicly took their side.
“Are you sure?” the newly-elected American President looked at the CIA Director conducting his morning National Intelligence briefing. He was the 49th US President. Since his uncle, the 43st President, stepped down in 2008, there was an unbroken line of Presidents that followed who never got reelected. He intended to break the pattern. He didn’t want to be like his Grandfather the Wimp, the 41st, who never won reelection to the White House.”What if you’re wrong, Mr. Dudley?”
“I have strong reasons to believe I’m not wrong, Mr. President,” The face of Stephen Dudley was formal & serious, no hint of his fuming inside: I won’t wake up early to brief you if I’m wrong, you schmuck! This was his third President since he became the Director of the CIA & he didn’t expect this new one to be reelected either like the other two. This one won because he succeeded in raising greater fear for the Chinese menace than his Democratic opponent. Stephen couldn’t see anything outstanding in his resume. He will probably become a mere poster boy like his unfortunate uncle, mouthing scripts from the current think tank of the moment of the Conservative Party.
The new President, George Barnaby B., or George B as the top cable company in the world, Al-Jazeera called him, the former Governor of Montana, was the fifth consecutive Republican President. As East Asia steadily strengthened, the incumbent President always lost in the Primaries but because of intensifying national insecurity, the Republicans eventually won the elections anyway. They simply were able to spin the fear factor more effectively. They always succeeded in painting the Democrats as China-lovers. The only time a Democrat won the White House was when the former first lady, Hilda Scranton, was elected in 2008 to succeed George B’s uncle. Unfortunate lady, the first US woman President & she became insane while in office. Stephen knew the cause & he had strong reason to believe the current one will end up crazy as well if he could’t stop the slide of the US in world affairs.“
The Chinese deployed 10 mooncraft carriers this year, all capable of launching nanobombers to the US mainland from their bases in the moon.”
“They really love those miniature stuff, don’t they?”
“They have a thousand robots flying in the orbits ready at any moment’s notice to buzz US cities with nanogerms.”
“By God, they have no idea what’s coming to greet them. They fucking have no idea. How is the Nano Shield coming along? ”
“There are still minor unresolved issues, Sir.”
“Minor. That should do it. Just as I thought. They never had a chance!”
Stephen mentally took a long deep breath. He looked the new President calmly in the eye. “China is expected to have military parity next year, Sir. By the year end, they will have more mooncraft carriers, more nanobombers, more aircrafts, more nanomissiles, more ...”
“Stop it, Stephen. We won’t let them. The Good Lord is watching us on this, you know that. The Devil has no chance. Not on my watch. ”
Stephen didn’t say anything. He knew what was coming.
“Do you believe in God, Mr. Dudley? If you do, you know America will prevail. Don’t you take that off from your mind now, boy! God is on the side of the good guys!”
Manila
THE AMERICAN EMBASSY in Manila was the biggest in Asia. It had long been the center of American operations in Asia ever since America colonized the islands at the turn of the 20th century. Ambassador Nelly Poly knew this was an important post. After the US gave it Independence in 1946, the Philippines lurched from economic & political crisis to more crisis while its neighbors became rich. But every Ambassador who got posted in this backwater knew he was being given a career boost. Most of the big shots in the State Department passed through here on their way up.
The US had always treated the islands as its castle keep in Asia. Almost 50% of the families in the Philippines have relatives in the US. Most of the middle-aged Filipinos have passed through an education which was practically a Western indoctrination mill. As the Pacific Century became a reality in its people’s eyes, the Philippine leaders tried to impose more nationalistic measures. But because of a long association with American culture, it would take generations to totally indigenize the people. Ambassador Poly has on top of her list of missions the prevention of the further erosion of American influence on Philippine life.
A few years ago, the country eventually joined the First World (which includes East Asia, North America, Russia, Brazil, India) & its importance to the US became more pronounced. Japan realized it’s more to its advantage if it became responsible for its own security so it developed its own nuclear shield. It already possessed a million military robots & its hi-tech defense industries produced much-feared nanomissiles. China, as the dominant economic & military power in East Asia, tried earnestly to woo Japan to form a Co-Prosperity Sphere to diffuse regional tensions. North & South Korea united a decade ago & the weapon industry was greatly enhanced by Samsung engineers. If Japan had its nanomissiles, Korea specialized in nanogerms & nuclear capsule delivery systems. The major economies of East Asia were so confident of themselves they decided they didn’t have to kowtow to America.
“The New York Times used the words last stand in Manila,” chuckled Thomas Butler, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Manila. He was standing by the window in the Ambassador’s office that was facing the calm waters of Manila Bay.
“What do you think?” the Ambassador remained seated in her desk, her eyes not leaving the handsome visage of her visitor. She hasn’t had sex since she came here 6 months ago. Her husband is posted as Ambassador in Colombia & though she knew he was fucking his local secretary, she hasn’t been as adventurous. She felt Mr. Butler was generating funny tingles in her crotch area though.
“You can always rely on the middle-class to assert their rights. They’ve always been hard-headed here. Especially now that the Filipino-Americans who came home are asking why shouldn’t they have the same rights they had in the US.”
“You think they have enough clout to impact the situation?” Ambassador recrossed her legs, tightening her upper leg muscles to press on her crotch. Mr. Butler was making her very wet indeed.
“ They are energizing the Civil Society groups. Like People Power all over again. They will have a big gathering at the Ateneo on Sunday. ”
“The CIA head confirmed all systems go.” She just can’t take her eyes off the blue eyes of Mr. Butler. God, did he notice the trembling in the tips of her fingers?
“We can’t afford to lose the islands, Ambassador. We lose it & we lose Asia.”
“We won’t.” Again she recrossed her legs. She tightened her muscles some more. She must prolong the conversation. Few minutes more & she knew she’ll come just by talking to Mr. Thomas Butler.” You know democracy will prevail, Mr. Butler. Tell me, how do you envision the resurgence of the American way of life in Asia again?”
Mr. Butler loves to talk. He loves invitations to presumably seek his opinions. Ambassador Poly pretended to listen to him intently while lightly lowering her right hand to her lap & very innocently staking her middle finger direct to her clitoris.
Mr. Butler was saying,”We’ll retake Asia from our base in the Philippines. We can’t let the world be devoured by the savages from the East...”
He rumbled on. Then she couldn’t hear him anymore. When she finally came, she held her face impassive but it was an effort maintaining her consciousness. The bursts of pleasures seemed like nanomissiles, nanogerms, nanocapsules that exploded her to blissful smithereens.
Mr. Butler was lamenting the loss of Taiwan 18 years ago when he noted a slight shudder from the Ambassador. He understood how the Ambassador felt. She must have been totally revolted. He wept himself when he first learned it. The loss of Taiwan was a national tragedy, even the President then, the Democrat Hilda Scranton, became crazy.
Next: Chapter 3
novel by EDGAR NUÑEZ
Chapter 2
White House, Washington DC
Historians generally agree the Pacific Century officially began sometime before 2015. By the year 2029, the Chinese economy produced a Gross National Product of $30 trillion while the US has contracted to the 2010 levels of $19 trillion. Japan produced $12 trillion, United Korea another $9 trillion. The Southeast Asian countries came up with $10 trillion. World trade was run on purely pragmatic terms as the dominant Chinese strictly endorsed the new rule: no one was to impose his values on anybody. Everybody was entitled to self-determination as long as he traded well & big. The Americans were unceremoniously rebuffed whenever they tried inserting the usual conditions to their contracts. Sanctions became forgotten words in international relations.
However, in the year 2030, the US still had the biggest military in the world. Many more countries had gone nuclear- Iran, Japan, United Korea - but as China raced past the US in economic supremacy, the last 5 successive Republican Presidents bravely incurred even more deficits as they built up frantically the American military to mollify paranoid egos. Their main problem was how to turn it into a sort of sword of Damocles to sway countries. They became more rabid preaching about Democracy as the world became less democratic but they couldn’t just bomb any recalcitrant country. Somebody from the American Enterprise Institute advised the last US President to intimidate the world ( either you’re with us or against us) but only the poor West Europeans publicly took their side.
“Are you sure?” the newly-elected American President looked at the CIA Director conducting his morning National Intelligence briefing. He was the 49th US President. Since his uncle, the 43st President, stepped down in 2008, there was an unbroken line of Presidents that followed who never got reelected. He intended to break the pattern. He didn’t want to be like his Grandfather the Wimp, the 41st, who never won reelection to the White House.”What if you’re wrong, Mr. Dudley?”
“I have strong reasons to believe I’m not wrong, Mr. President,” The face of Stephen Dudley was formal & serious, no hint of his fuming inside: I won’t wake up early to brief you if I’m wrong, you schmuck! This was his third President since he became the Director of the CIA & he didn’t expect this new one to be reelected either like the other two. This one won because he succeeded in raising greater fear for the Chinese menace than his Democratic opponent. Stephen couldn’t see anything outstanding in his resume. He will probably become a mere poster boy like his unfortunate uncle, mouthing scripts from the current think tank of the moment of the Conservative Party.
The new President, George Barnaby B., or George B as the top cable company in the world, Al-Jazeera called him, the former Governor of Montana, was the fifth consecutive Republican President. As East Asia steadily strengthened, the incumbent President always lost in the Primaries but because of intensifying national insecurity, the Republicans eventually won the elections anyway. They simply were able to spin the fear factor more effectively. They always succeeded in painting the Democrats as China-lovers. The only time a Democrat won the White House was when the former first lady, Hilda Scranton, was elected in 2008 to succeed George B’s uncle. Unfortunate lady, the first US woman President & she became insane while in office. Stephen knew the cause & he had strong reason to believe the current one will end up crazy as well if he could’t stop the slide of the US in world affairs.“
The Chinese deployed 10 mooncraft carriers this year, all capable of launching nanobombers to the US mainland from their bases in the moon.”
“They really love those miniature stuff, don’t they?”
“They have a thousand robots flying in the orbits ready at any moment’s notice to buzz US cities with nanogerms.”
“By God, they have no idea what’s coming to greet them. They fucking have no idea. How is the Nano Shield coming along? ”
“There are still minor unresolved issues, Sir.”
“Minor. That should do it. Just as I thought. They never had a chance!”
Stephen mentally took a long deep breath. He looked the new President calmly in the eye. “China is expected to have military parity next year, Sir. By the year end, they will have more mooncraft carriers, more nanobombers, more aircrafts, more nanomissiles, more ...”
“Stop it, Stephen. We won’t let them. The Good Lord is watching us on this, you know that. The Devil has no chance. Not on my watch. ”
Stephen didn’t say anything. He knew what was coming.
“Do you believe in God, Mr. Dudley? If you do, you know America will prevail. Don’t you take that off from your mind now, boy! God is on the side of the good guys!”
Manila
THE AMERICAN EMBASSY in Manila was the biggest in Asia. It had long been the center of American operations in Asia ever since America colonized the islands at the turn of the 20th century. Ambassador Nelly Poly knew this was an important post. After the US gave it Independence in 1946, the Philippines lurched from economic & political crisis to more crisis while its neighbors became rich. But every Ambassador who got posted in this backwater knew he was being given a career boost. Most of the big shots in the State Department passed through here on their way up.
The US had always treated the islands as its castle keep in Asia. Almost 50% of the families in the Philippines have relatives in the US. Most of the middle-aged Filipinos have passed through an education which was practically a Western indoctrination mill. As the Pacific Century became a reality in its people’s eyes, the Philippine leaders tried to impose more nationalistic measures. But because of a long association with American culture, it would take generations to totally indigenize the people. Ambassador Poly has on top of her list of missions the prevention of the further erosion of American influence on Philippine life.
A few years ago, the country eventually joined the First World (which includes East Asia, North America, Russia, Brazil, India) & its importance to the US became more pronounced. Japan realized it’s more to its advantage if it became responsible for its own security so it developed its own nuclear shield. It already possessed a million military robots & its hi-tech defense industries produced much-feared nanomissiles. China, as the dominant economic & military power in East Asia, tried earnestly to woo Japan to form a Co-Prosperity Sphere to diffuse regional tensions. North & South Korea united a decade ago & the weapon industry was greatly enhanced by Samsung engineers. If Japan had its nanomissiles, Korea specialized in nanogerms & nuclear capsule delivery systems. The major economies of East Asia were so confident of themselves they decided they didn’t have to kowtow to America.
“The New York Times used the words last stand in Manila,” chuckled Thomas Butler, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Manila. He was standing by the window in the Ambassador’s office that was facing the calm waters of Manila Bay.
“What do you think?” the Ambassador remained seated in her desk, her eyes not leaving the handsome visage of her visitor. She hasn’t had sex since she came here 6 months ago. Her husband is posted as Ambassador in Colombia & though she knew he was fucking his local secretary, she hasn’t been as adventurous. She felt Mr. Butler was generating funny tingles in her crotch area though.
“You can always rely on the middle-class to assert their rights. They’ve always been hard-headed here. Especially now that the Filipino-Americans who came home are asking why shouldn’t they have the same rights they had in the US.”
“You think they have enough clout to impact the situation?” Ambassador recrossed her legs, tightening her upper leg muscles to press on her crotch. Mr. Butler was making her very wet indeed.
“ They are energizing the Civil Society groups. Like People Power all over again. They will have a big gathering at the Ateneo on Sunday. ”
“The CIA head confirmed all systems go.” She just can’t take her eyes off the blue eyes of Mr. Butler. God, did he notice the trembling in the tips of her fingers?
“We can’t afford to lose the islands, Ambassador. We lose it & we lose Asia.”
“We won’t.” Again she recrossed her legs. She tightened her muscles some more. She must prolong the conversation. Few minutes more & she knew she’ll come just by talking to Mr. Thomas Butler.” You know democracy will prevail, Mr. Butler. Tell me, how do you envision the resurgence of the American way of life in Asia again?”
Mr. Butler loves to talk. He loves invitations to presumably seek his opinions. Ambassador Poly pretended to listen to him intently while lightly lowering her right hand to her lap & very innocently staking her middle finger direct to her clitoris.
Mr. Butler was saying,”We’ll retake Asia from our base in the Philippines. We can’t let the world be devoured by the savages from the East...”
He rumbled on. Then she couldn’t hear him anymore. When she finally came, she held her face impassive but it was an effort maintaining her consciousness. The bursts of pleasures seemed like nanomissiles, nanogerms, nanocapsules that exploded her to blissful smithereens.
Mr. Butler was lamenting the loss of Taiwan 18 years ago when he noted a slight shudder from the Ambassador. He understood how the Ambassador felt. She must have been totally revolted. He wept himself when he first learned it. The loss of Taiwan was a national tragedy, even the President then, the Democrat Hilda Scranton, became crazy.
Next: Chapter 3
posted by ED NUÑEZ at 11:47 PM
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