We might say that the u.s. empire is less like a great military power in the old sense and more like a superbly-armed private mafia for a gated suburb. Its power is very dangerous on a tactical level—like a SWAT team blowing down your front door will really put some concern on your mind—but strategically it is more and more dysfunctional and immobilized.

— The Shape of Things to Come by J. Sakai (Page 203 - 204)