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Anyone who thinks America is an Empire needs to take a little walk through a class called Civics.

No America is not an empire. The last true empire was the British empire.

As for America beating the UK in war in war day well thats a joke. You cant even beat Iraq. Also we have nuclear weapons as well so there would really be no point.

Sorry Americans but you will NEVER have an empire. The world is a different place than what it was 100 years ago. You cant just take your army and settle somewhere.

An Empire is having control of alot of the world. America is in control of America and thats all. Maybe if America was up and running 300 years ago you would have had an empire. But as i say the last empire was the BRITISH EMPIRE!

Kookoo - you may be able to invade a country, you seem to have great trouble preventing the guerillas from picking you off one by one, as shown in Vietnam and Iraq. Its quite possible the same would happen if you tried it here with us Brits.

Back to the question - the US carries out what is called neo-imperialism, or imperialism by Proxy. It doesn't occupy Saudi Arabia, but its military influence keeps the very unpopular monarchy in power.

And if there is ill-will in England regarding the US its probably the sanctimonius attitude to our empire after WW2, in pressuring us to liquidate it, then doing the same thing covertly.

EDIT: I would remind you that at independence you had 13 states, you now have 50 and have stretched across an entire continent. By the dawn of the 20th century the difference between Britain's empire and America and Russia's is that ours was spread across the globe and not joined on.

EDIT: - Quarterback - 'We don't go around and steal countries from people like the British, Chinese Germans, Japanese, Romans etc'

Right, so there was just empty space to the West of those 13 states in the 1780s, no natives there at all then?

And the reason that you do not 'steal' countries off people is because it costs too much in the modern era and there is little need for it. Hence the switch to neo-imperialism, you don't run Iraq, Saudi Arabia and until 1979 Iran as a colony, you just install a puppet regime.

Saddam and Pinochet were a product of a CIA aided coup, the Saudis are only still in power because of US military presence there (the main reason why Bin Laden wants to kill you all). YOU OVERTHREW A DEMOCRATIC REGIME IN IRAN AND REPLACED IT WITH A PRO U.S. DESPOT!!!!

Get a proper ******* history lesson and stop spouting cliches you jingoistic American tosser.

Hawaii, Alaska etc. Yes it is an empire of sorts. I don't think it is comparable with the British empire for that encompassed a much greater area, and colonists were subjugated and exploited whereas Hawaiians and Alaskans are not. Of course America is uniquely able to influence all corners of the globe but I'm not sure that this qualifies as imperialism either - certainly not in the 19th century sense. As for "ill-will" - no. It's not ideal that one country is so much more powerful than all others, but if it has to be that way then I'd much rather it be the United States than say Saudi Arabia.

HAHAHAHAHAH! America wishes it was an empire! I'm Canadian and this is ridiculous! Fist of all, an empire has, you know, colonies. Empires take over other nations and make them their own, as in : America is a colony of Great Britain, or Kenya is part of the British Commonwealth, for example. Now both these countries are independant, but they used to be part of an Empire. Othr then McDonalds, what does the US own? They may "occupy" places, but you don't see Iraq flying the US flag. You, unfortunatly, have an inflated sense of importance, sorry. By the way, China has totally scooped your super-power status while you were playing soldier in the Middle East. Now there is a place that knows what an Empire is all about. After all they did once upon a time have an emperor. Is George Bush emperor of the U.S? hehehe hehhe He's barely President.

No, America has no intentions of ever becoming one. Nor have we ever.

We are the most powerful nation on earth but that doesn't make us an empire. We don't go around and steal countries from people like the British, Chinese Germans, Japanese, Romans etc.

America rules the world with free markets, - globalization - Americanisation - technological revolutions - medical revolutions - cultural influence - etc - etc.

And yes, We have a military that has NO equal - so when rouge nations try to hold America and the world hostage - we can hit back with unstoppable force. Yet we always try to avoid conflict when conflict is avoidable.

However, as generous and virtuous as America is - we DO have the capacity to inflict great pain and destruction upon our enemies.

I don't think anyone could realistically call anything an American Empire you have influence over certain countries,but the world is a very different place from the one in which the British Empire was founded and run, one thing you should as a nation learn from all Empires, whether real or perceived, is that they always end in tears and the repercussions rumble on for years.After all America was our once and look whats happened:0)

Its more of a big business set upon a huge stretch of land. The dollar has taken over morality within America.

Americans today have nearly nothing at all in common with the founding fathers. The dollar has spoke, the goverment has charged you for living your life and police can do whatever they like.

Its a far better place to live though than a lot of the world but it does seem to degenerate with each passing day. Is that the fault of the government in charge or the fault of the people who allow them to be walked over?

One other thing that is destroying America is the 2 party system. If you disagree with something you get called a follower of the opposite party to the person who asked you. Its as if you cannot have freewill and must only come under two catagories.

It's not an empire in the traditional sense. No nation uses the term "empire" to describe their governed state. It can be considered a 'benevolent empire' however, through its sheer influence and dominance of the world.

America is just a leading nation, more or less.

America is not an empire by definition – see the discussion under empire at the link. There are three basic schools of thought. I cant speak for the British, but Americans are truly blood linked with them in history (see Manasseh and Ephraim).