It will not surprise you that I am opposed to a policy of empire-building. My view is simple: nations’ fortunes wax and wane, but empires fall.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone to learn the US could already be called an empire. Consider:
- it has airbases and naval bases in every corner of the world — does any other nation?
- by doing so, it makes itself a target for many nationalist groups who need something to focus their adherents’ anger
- its culture and ideas permeate the world, from TV to clothing to music. There’s no escaping it. Those opposed to it are not limited to religious fanatics, but include our allies in Europe and Asia.
Maybe a strict definition of empire requires puppet governments, but I’m not sure we need go that far.