| The US's capacity to intervene directly always depended accomplices -- largely military -- who were willing and able to do its bidding. Such accomplices are getting kinda thin on the ground these days.
Meanwhile, South America (especially resource-rich countries like Venezuela and emerging industrial giants like Brazil) are tying themselves into their own networks with America's competitors (mainly Europe and China).
The situation has slipped out of America's grasp.
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne |