Certain powers having &quot;standing armies&quot; is a quaint way to describe it. The US is on a permanent war footing in the Global War on Terror and surveils its allies as assiduously as they would a hostile party in a hot war.<p>Not even a small crack in the neoliberal hegemony is allowed. Not even internal doubt. Repatriate your gold? How amusing. We&#x27;re all in this together. Or else.