American Empire

[confidential0216]

As an American, I can see just by looking around me that America, which started as a humble little country that barely won it's independance, has become quite imperialistic ever since. I am against imperialism and I think it is wrong, but I would not compare America to the imperialistic European countries of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Honestly, America reminds me of ancient Rome. A small nation with not much power that grows into a huge world power. The most striking resemblance though, are excuses for wars. The Romans defeated the Macedonians in Greece in order to "free" the Greeks. Well, they ended up staying there for, oh, about 600 years. Any other opinions would be nice, including non-American ones.

[stoma]

I totally agree.
We many islands under our control that do not have rights as citizens of the US!
To me it is terrible that they are under our control but do not even have the rights of US citizens.
Hawaii and Texas used to be independent countries until we annexed them, and not exactly with their will either.

[Farnan]

I totally agree.
We many islands under our control that do not have rights as citizens of the US!
To me it is terrible that they are under our control but do not even have the rights of US citizens.
Hawaii and Texas used to be independent countries until we annexed them, and not exactly with their will either.

Umm... Texas wanted to become a part of the US. We actually said no to them till we found a good way to incorporate them. Same with Vermont and California. Hawaii is different but that happened over a century ago.

Puerto Rico has voted overwhelmingly to remain in its current state, and its people have the same rights as US Citizens except can't vote for federal offices.

Washington DC is the same, except it wants to be a state, but we can't constitutionally do that but they can vote for president.

Guamanians have the same rights as US citizens without the ability to vote for federal government officials, they're are competing movements about what future they want.

American Samoans again have the same rights as US citizens without the ability to vote for Federal government officials and without the same minimal wage (thanks to a clause added by Nancy Pelosi) Population: 57,291 (note this region is a haven for recruiters as a large percentage join the US military. Consequently they have the highest number of casaulties per thousand people). I don't believe they have a real independence movement and they pretty much govern themselves mostly.

Northern Mariana Islands see above, and they wanted to join the United States as a commonwealth

US Virgin Islanders, see above and they don't even show up in enough numbers to votes on independence to be significant showing they don't seem to dislike their current status.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I totally agree.
We many islands under our control that do not have rights as citizens of the US!
To me it is terrible that they are under our control but do not even have the rights of US citizens.
Hawaii and Texas used to be independent countries until we annexed them, and not exactly with their will either.

Texas wanted to be a state. Most of the Texans had civic and social ties to the United States anyway.

If we were imperialists, look what we would own (not have a presence in, but own).

Japan, South Korea, Cuba, Canada, France, Itally, Sicily, North Africa, Iraq, Israel, Afghanistan, Belgium, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, off the top of my head. Yet all we have is Hawaii and (I guess you could say) Texas. Compare that (even though you don't want to) to Britian in the eighteenth and ninteenth centuries. Some of our policies are skewed, but then again, what nation doesn't have skewed policies? The difference is we're the leading world power and get the most publicity.

[DimondLight]

I totally agree.
We many islands under our control that do not have rights as citizens of the US!
To me it is terrible that they are under our control but do not even have the rights of US citizens.
Hawaii and Texas used to be independent countries until we annexed them, and not exactly with their will either.

Most Texans wanted their Republic to be annexed into the United States because of the Republic's defensive and financial difficulties. Events such as the Dawson Massacre and two recaptures of Béxar in Texas of 1842 added momentum to the desire for statehood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas#Statehood

The islands we own have their own governments because they chose to.

Btw, dont link me to wikipedia, its not a real source and I don't have patience for people who want wikipedia to do their debating for them. What are you trying to say to me?

Lol, I love people that do this. Not like they have sources at the bottom or anything

[Chaigidel]

if we were a real empire we would have taken over alot more .

[PointOfViewGun]

if we were a real empire we would have taken over alot more .

Not really. Roman Empire got out of Britannia because they thought it wasn't worth it. Same for America.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Not really. Roman Empire got out of Britannia because they thought it wasn't worth it. Same for America.

We have horrible ambitions if all we sought were tiny islands in the Pacific, three small ones and half of one in the Caribbean.

[PointOfViewGun]

We have horrible ambitions if all we sought were tiny islands in the Pacific, three small ones and half of one in the Caribbean.

Even if it did it wouldn't be able to hold them just like Rome. Rome couldn't hold Britannia or Parthia. Same goes for USA.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Even if it did it wouldn't be able to hold them just like Rome. Rome couldn't hold Britannia or Parthia. Same goes for USA.

Apples and Oranges. Infrastructure and technology today allow nations to control larger amounts of land with fewer soldiers.

I don't remember the Romans being able to send F-16's to Gaul if a barbarian insurgent was trying to rabble rouse.

[Dunecat]

America, for all its faults, is not an Empire. We have no Emperor. Our government is a sad state of meh. We are quite unique, though mostly for our arrogance and delusions of grandeur...

Oh, and btw, all territories are represented in congress and are the size of small cities, for the most part. We are NOT an empire.

[stoma]

Oh, and btw, all territories are represented in congress and are the size of small cities, for the most part.

Puerto Rico dude. It's rather large.

[Dunecat]

Puerto Rico dude. It's rather large.

For the most part.

ITS QUOTED IN YOUR POST.

Let me repeat:

FOR THE MOST PART.

[Niles Crane]

America, for all its faults, is not an Empire. We have no Emperor. Our government is a sad state of meh. We are quite unique, though mostly for our arrogance and delusions of grandeur...

Oh, and btw, all territories are represented in congress and are the size of small cities, for the most part. We are NOT an empire.

Last time I checked you don't need an emperor for a country to be an empire. But hey, maybe we should completely erase Britain from memory.

[confidential0216]

Hawaii was certaintly not, it was completely unfair. Texas, although independant, actually wanted to be annexed by America because they were too weak to fight against Mexico. So they started talking with the British and French, making America jealous, thus the annexation.. Just did all the Texas stuff in History class last week. But some of the islands, a.k.a Puerto Rico just don't want to be a state. In my opinion, so they can keep their tax exempt status.

And I'm not saying we are an empire, just the way we go about doing things seems a bit imperialistic. I'm not saying we are an empire with an emperor or anything.

[Sidmen]

Puerto Rico dude. It's rather large.

Puerto Ricans have american citizenship, and are represented in congress. They have refused becoming a state on multiple occasions, to avoid paying our higher taxes.

[stoma]

But a lot of them wish to be their own state.

Airbus -Fine

[confidential0216]

Well, I know Puerto Rico sure doesn't.


McCain/Rice '08 - You'll see

-Farnan, I like it.

[Farnan]

In 1998 here were the results of the Puerto Rican Plebsite on their future:

Stay the same: 50.3%
Statehood: 46.5%
Independence: 2.5%
Independent Nation in Free Association with the US: 0.3%
Commonwealth: 0.1%
Void: 0.2%
Blank: 0.1%

http://eleccionespuertorico.org/cgi-...gi?evento=1998

[s.rwitt]

US is certainly not an empire.

Thread's over.