Do you consider USA to be an Empire?

[LM1332]

Well i found this little article and would like to konw your point of view on this...

The United States is the most powerful nation in the world and it often acts unilaterally, but is it an Empire? Though some insist that “empire” means only direct rule over large-scale conquered territory, the United States today looks decidedly imperial. The term empire has entered common usage, not only among critics but also among advocates of muscular US policy and global superiority. Economist Niall Ferguson has written about the British Empire as a lesson-book for contemporary US power. Influential Washington neo-conservatives are using the E-word freely, insisting that the United States is the world’s most benevolent nation and that it should use its imperial power robustly to expand “freedom” across the globe. This section considers not only the utility of the Empire concept but also the way in which the United States (empire or not) deploys its economic, political and military power globally, limiting the force of international law, shrinking the capacity of international organizations, and reducing the possibility of multilateral action and democratic self-governance in an increasingly interdependent world. We ask also: what limits will this empire encounter, can it sustain "full spectrum dominance" for the forseeable future or will it provoke such broad opposition that its era of hegemony and prosperity comes swiftly and decisively to a close?

[barbarian]

yes i do..usa is the power head of the world.....its #1 when it comes to power,milatary, politics and overal control.....the rest are just second best...UN might be the head chese of the world..but the US leads it......

[LM1332]

True that UNs money mostly comes from USA almost 50% if not more comes from USa

[Jack87]

An empire is one that stands the test of time for hundreds of years

The USA is not an empire yet... Greece and Rome, they were empires...

[Mr. Death]

Although we are probably the closest thing to an empire at this point in history, I don't feel that the U.S. is an empire because we are not imperialists.

[BOUNCER]

True that UNs money mostly comes from USA almost 50% if not more comes from USa

You MUST BE KIDDING, right?.

[Ron Swan]

The U.S. is not an empire in the traditional sense.

The Greeks, Romans, Mogols, British, etc., expanded their borders for the sake of expansion or economic gain.

If the U.S. was a traditional military empire we would have annexed Canada and Mexico by now and wouldn't be handing Iraq over on June 30th.

The U.S. is an economic and cultural empire, but that is the result of private enterprise, not the Federal Government.

[monstercojones]

You MUST BE KIDDING, right?.

you must have $hit a brick when you read that bouncer...

i do think the US is becoming an empire

pick up a copy of the book

"The Grand Chessboard: American GLobal Primacy and it's Geostragic Imperitaves..." it will enlighten you about america as a global superpower...

it was written in 1996, and reads like Mein Kampf for everything that has been happening (including 9/11)

[monstercojones]

The U.S. is not an empire in the traditional sense.

The Greeks, Romans, Mogols, British, etc., expanded their borders for the sake of expansion or economic gain.

If the U.S. was a traditional military empire we would have annexed Canada and Mexico by now and wouldn't be handing Iraq over on June 30th.

The U.S. is an economic and cultural empire, but that is the result of private enterprise, not the Federal Government.

the Fed Govt is controlled by those corporate interests 100%

we dont live in a democracy, technically its a representative republic... and imo, its really more of an oligarchy than anything else...

[Blown_SC]

You MUST BE KIDDING, right?.

Beat me to it bro...

[LM1332]

You MUST BE KIDDING, right?.

Alright i messed up a little maybe i was thinking about something else not 50% but UN scale of assessments (regular budget) in 2001

USA 22 % (from previous 31%) Which is still a lot more then any other nation
Japan 19.628 %
Germany 9.493 %
France 6.283 %
United Kingdom 5.380 %
Italy 4.922 %
Canada 2.573 %
Spain 2.448 %
Brazil 1.702 %
Netherlands 1.688 %
Australia 1.604 %
Korea, Republic of 1.318 %
Russia 1.200 %
Belgium 1.098 %
Sweden 0.998 %

[LM1332]

and 29% percent in NATO

[sp9]

We are in many countries militarily by invitation of the host country. Saudi Arabia - Although they like to keep it quiet and hid the fact that they allowed us to use bases /airfields this second time around in IRAQ. All over Europe, used to include US deployed nukes in Eurpore for quick strikes against USSR. Not sure if those NUkes are still in commission. Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, we have a lease granted in Cuba although they probably don't want us there. Just saying that all are troop strength around the world is not univited, some of it is welcome.

And soon to be in Iraq by invite of an elected government. Of course we took out the exisiting government but hey, if they want us gone Jan 2005 they can ask us to leave.

[sp9]

http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/USA/#2760

Apparently the only forward deployed nuclear weapons in Europe now are in 6 NATO countries in the form of 150, B61 Bombs that I assume would be deployed with B52's, or B1's.

[LM1332]

So scott what you say is its good that we get to have NATO ok then whats the point of having UN then? Let EU to take care of that let UK, France, and Germany to pay most of the expensise what do we gain from that? Its not like UN has supported us in the war its not lke they did something good for the war. Frankly i dont see UN doing anything but sit on their asses and just talk all day and pass diffrent resolution that do no good

[sp9]

So scott what you say is its good that we get to have NATO ok then whats the point of having UN then? Let EU to take care of that

Not sure I want to go down that path of discusion, I am not educated on the roles of each organization or the details of their confused bureaucracys.

I was just quoting a spot on that web page that they were in 6 NATO countries. Apparently at continued invitation to this day.

[LM1332]

Not sure I want to go down that path of discusion, I am not educated on the roles of each organization or the details of their confused bureaucracys.

I was just quoting a spot on that web page that they were in 6 NATO countries. Apparently at continued invitation to this day.

Yea thats kewl man its like 6am came home about 2 hours ago from a club cant sleep thinking of this girl i met so i just went online to see wha sup and i dont know man just a glitch in my head or something

[sp9]

Yea thats kewl man its like 6am came home about 2 hours ago from a club cant sleep thinking of this girl i met so i just went online to see wha sup and i dont know man just a glitch in my head or something

The next Empire is the EU. It is the revived Roman Empire if you consider where it is geographically. It is becoming a bigger and bigger economic and miltitary force. More countries are joining. Already up to 25 member countries and 3 others are in the application process now. The next steps will be for the EU to work slowly but consistently to break down sovereignty of all these countries so eventually they are governed as one. Just my opinion. And of course these countries are joining of their own free will and not by force.

It started way back in 1946 - One of the first things was Winston Churchill calling for a " kind of United States of Europe" in a speech he gives at the Zurich University.

http://europa.eu.int/abc/governments/index_en.htm

[LM1332]

The next Empire is the EU. It is the revived Roman Empire if you consider where it is geographically. It is becoming a bigger and bigger economic and miltitary force. More countries are joining. Already up to 25 member countries and 3 others are in the application process now. The next steps will be for the EU to work slowly but consistently to break down sovereignty of all these countries so eventually they are governed as one. Just my opinion. And of course these countries are joining of their own free will and not by force.

It started way back in 1946 - One of the first things was Winston Churchill calling for a " kind of United States of Europe" in a speech he gives at the Zurich University.

http://europa.eu.int/abc/governments/index_en.htm

Thanks scott i have read about that issue before i like what they are doing. Its about time somebody is doing something about uniting the if not the world atleast some nations together

[Ron Swan]

"the Fed Govt is controlled by those corporate interests 100%" Monstercojones

You forget that corporations have competing interests. Long distance providers (Sprint) dislike local providers (Baby Bells). For every corporation that has an interest before Congress or a State Legislature, there is another that has a competing interest.

Big oil isn't exactly big oil. Domestic producers dislike foreign, refiners and shippers are always trying get one up on retailers and retailers (convenience stores) are in a constant fight with Liquor Stores over alcohol laws.

[BOUNCER]

The U.S. is an economic and cultural empire, but that is the result of private enterprise, not the Federal Government.

At the risk of constantly sounding anti-American here, but WHAT CULTURE

[sp9]

I am from the US and I would say our culture today puts out some of the most vile filth I have ever seen.

[bermich]

For something only 200 years old to be an empire is a joke. I dont see America keeping its power at number 1 for too much longer. Americas government is going to eat it alive from the inside.
I foresee China as being the number one super power in the future ahead. China is putting all of its money into its own land and trade. They are starting to get their shlt together. It may not be democratic but it is going to be very strong and rich (as it is already) They dont have to worry about bueracracy and political fighting.

[Warrior]

Never forget, the United States is a very young nation. It is a combination of many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. My generation in my family was only the second born outside of Germany. The US is young, very diverse and in my opinion plays very fair... everything needs leadership, and the World has the United States (and her allies) to protect individual rights and freedom. Without leadership - everything fails.

[Warrior]

I foresee China as being the number one super power in the future ahead. China is putting all of its money into its own land and trade. They are starting to get their shlt together. It may not be democratic but it is going to be very strong and rich (as it is already) They dont have to worry about bueracracy and political fighting.

Thats a scary thought... Red China leading the way... ummm... that would be a bloody effort...

[thegorilla]

Decline in Morals and Values

Public Health

Political Corruption

Unemployment

Inflation

Urban decay

Inferior Technology

Military Spending

source

TheInfamousApe

[monstercojones]

"the Fed Govt is controlled by those corporate interests 100%" Monstercojones

You forget that corporations have competing interests. Long distance providers (Sprint) dislike local providers (Baby Bells). For every corporation that has an interest before Congress or a State Legislature, there is another that has a competing interest.

Big oil isn't exactly big oil. Domestic producers dislike foreign, refiners and shippers are always trying get one up on retailers and retailers (convenience stores) are in a constant fight with Liquor Stores over alcohol laws.

still doesnt mean that the corporate interests dont control the gov't... you only made the point that there are competing corporate interests. that doesn't preclude them from controlling gov't.

[bermich]

Decline in Morals and Values

Public Health

Political Corruption

Unemployment

Inflation

Urban decay

Inferior Technology

Military Spending

source

TheInfamousApe

Sounds like America to me....

[LM1332]

If history tought us anything is that "What goes around comes around" at one point or another we are gonna suffer and we willl come back again to show the world that we can and will.

[thegorilla]

Sounds like America to me....

Interestingly enough. An old friend of mine who happens to be a sociology professor were discussing the fall of the roman empire and were making accessments if the same could happen to the USA.
There are many factors to the fall of the roman empire but there were primary reasons (some I listed) . Now keep in mind that there were two sociology degrees talking about culture and war but we some-what agreed that the two of the biggest reasons were the

1) lack of communication through out a vast empire
2) military spending.

With those two factors in mind we decided to entertain the thougth of the USA being in the same situation and after looking at everything we could possibly think of we agreed that because of communication being lightning fast and technology being what it is today that the empire of the US could not crumble like the roman empire.

The problem we had with this conclusion is how naive it is to think.

FallOfRome
aka

TheInfamousApe

Food for thought.

[bermich]

I Now keep in mind that there were two sociology degrees talking about culture and war but we some-what agreed that the two of the biggest reasons were the

1) lack of communication through out a vast empire
2) military spending.

.

Actually, those two things would be on the bottom of the list. I was thinking : Political corruption
Inflation
Unemployment

There is almost NO WAY to counter act political corruption.
All these new laws that get passed without anyone knowing aobut it such as" Patriot act and others taking away our freedoms piece by piece until the governemt controls us rather than us controling the govt'

[chicamahomico]

You guys are forgetting the grandaddy of them all...........taxation. Part of the reason Roman Empire fell was that it could not raise sufficient funds to adequately defend it's territory, which was vast. Nothing sh*ts on a nations morale like a tax burden which citizens deem unfair.

[thegorilla]

Actually, those two things would be on the bottom of the list. I was thinking : Political corruption
Inflation
Unemployment

There is almost NO WAY to counter act political corruption.
All these new laws that get passed without anyone knowing aobut it such as" Patriot act and others taking away our freedoms piece by piece until the governemt controls us rather than us controling the govt'

Lets take a look at it like this.

If you have 25% of your defense stationed in the north, 25% stationed in the south, 25% east and west THEN what could be more important than having communication to the other 75% when your invaders are coming in from the north ?

Can anyone think of ANYTHING more important than letting your flanks know your getting overwhelmed ?

I cant.

My issue was the reasons that empire fell was mostly due to the lack of communication. The empire had the manpower to defend its borders it just didnt have enough in one spot and word of attacked took weeks.By then, its way too late.

Ultimately, lack of communication brought those skirt wearing bast*rds down.

hehe

TheInfamousApe

[LM1332]

I will totaly agree with Taxation burden, lack of communication and total political corruption. Which i think is happening right now in the US more and more politicians become money munchers. Thinking out for the corps. and what is good for them and not us. And when i say communication i think Politicians lost communication with its people and not the army

[craneboy]

i think of it as more "the" world super power