Some Thoughts on the Fall of Rome, Sparked Conveniently, by the U.S. Comptroller

Very interesting:

I'm all for using ancient and medieval history to inform our understanding of the present, and for drawing comparisons between the modern, ancient and medieval eras. The comparison between the Roman Empire and the United States is a particularly popular one. Drawing from the "internal maladies" thesis advanced most famously by Edward Gibbon, the comptroller of the U.S., David Walker, draws such a comparison:

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were "striking similarities" between America's current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including "declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal responsibility by the central government."

"Sound familiar?" Mr Walker said. "in my view, it's time to learn from history and take steps to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time." Read More.