This article examines the current turmoil in the United States over issues like abortion, police brutality, the immigration crisis, homosexual rights, and rising domestic strife, which could push the US to the brink of a second civil war.
It seems there is no longer any prospect for a political settlement of the disputes in the profoundly bifurcated American society following Trump’s presidency that stoked the flames of animosity and contributed to an uptick in armed violence.
Since the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, many commentators have openly discussed the symptoms of the simmering social anarchy that could culminate in a second civil war.
The Hill adds that a significant part of this social pessimism stems from the traumatic events of January 6, 2021, when thousands of pro-Trump mobs stormed the Capitol building.
The rampage at the Capitol was a terrible blow to the collective psyche of the Americans, apart from the dark period of slavery and the Civil War in the 19th century.
In this regard, leading researchers at the Center for the National Interest (CFTNI) and former CIA senior analysts, along with surveys conducted by Quinnipiac University, provided a grim perspective on the deteriorating socioeconomic predicament in the US.
For instance, “Caliexit”—a secessionist movement in California vying to separate from the United States—is no longer regarded as taboo or social media banter.
Given that most Americans have lost faith in their government and political establishment, “The Hill” argues that the country’s internal volatility is much worse than most citizens realise.
Moreover, the repeal of the abortion law, immigration policies, and gun control regulations have made most Americans members of disparate, antagonistic blocs, with just a tiny minority deciding to take a moderate stance.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News, former presidential candidate and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard warned of civil war if Democrats succeed in equating the Capitol riot with the September 11 attacks.
Gabbard added that it is repugnant to hear these people [the Democrats] compare our fellow Americans with al-Qaeda terrorists.
Gabbard continued with raging fury, “It demonstrates how far they are willing to go to drive our nation to the verge of civil war and vilify our fellow Americans.”
At the same time, the results of a recent survey conducted by the YouGov public opinion institute indicated that Americans are generally pessimistic about the future of their country. According to the study results, about one-third of respondents believe that a foreign power will attack the United States over the next ten years.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), US military expenditures hit $801 billion in 2021, exceeding China’s $280 billion by more than three times.
However, policymakers in Washington, DC, are disturbed by China’s meteoric rise, emerging as a formidable rival in East Asia and Russia’s growing geopolitical clout in Europe. Even Republicans and Democrats have a similar perspective on the probability of the United States losing its status as a global superpower by 2032. Politicians and pundits on both sides of the aisle concur that the United States is precipitously losing its domestic power and worldwide hegemony.
These trepidations seem to have influenced US public opinion. The vast majority of Americans are aware that their so-called democracy is rapidly crumbling and believe that the foundation upon which their government stands is precarious.
50% of those polled by YouGov believe the US will lose its superpower position in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans within the next ten years, with 20% believing the likelihood of this scenario is very high.
According to the same research, respondents depicted a bleak landscape of America’s domestic affairs, with 47% believing a complete economic collapse is imminent.
One-fourth believe a civil war between Republicans and Democrats is inevitable. Also, 30% believe America will become a fascist state, compared to 21% who believe the nation will become a communist dictatorship.
Even though far-right militias and white supremacists, like Proud Boys, are armed to the teeth, they are poorly organised and commanded, in contrast to the enormous number of competent military officers who favour secession or insurrection. However, evidence implies that a larger-scale civil war, akin to 1861–1865, is highly feasible.
January 6, 2021, was an ideal training opportunity for coordinated assaults on federal institutions and buildings, Democratic state capitals (Blue States), and minority groups. Under these conditions, US regular military forces would probably intervene, which might further escalate the rebellion.
Today, in a nation as vulnerable as the United States, the rumble of looming catastrophe becomes louder by the minute.