Well thought out and concise definition, I agree with you on all but one point.
“The United States is a sovereign country that has the right to act as it sees fit on the world stage”. I believe that we have the right to defend ourselves at any time and with any means, but I don’t think we have the right to interject ourselves in other nations affairs unless there is a direct threat to our nation ie. Libya.
I can disagree with govt policy without dissing our troops.
I served and have nothing but the utmost respect for those who are serving now. That said we are at this time an imperialist nation.
Thank you for your definition.
stand tall
Imperialism would mean that that the the United States seeks to conquer other countries for material gain. It’s been the exact opposite. The contries we “occupy” benefit from our presence. (Japan, Germany, South Korea, etc.) They have to spend much less on their militaries and the bases are an economic boon to them.
Please understand, I don’t believe in military adventurism. In fact at FR I wrote:
**************************************
We Won. Yippee.
The One and Only FRee Republic | 8/22/11 | Alan Levy
Posted on Monday, August 22, 2011 12:49:41 AM by Absolutely Nobama
As of this writing, Libyan dictator Mommar Qadaffi has flown the coup. The rebels have taken Tripoli and this stage of the Libyan Civil War is over, thanks to the United States, mostly.
In the coming days, Chairman Obama’s sycophants in the arrogant and lazy press are going to paint this as some sort of “great victory for Democracy”. Chris “I’ll Have Another Drink” Matthews (H/T Mark Levin) will get thrills up both his legs, rather than one. Rachel Maddcow will tell us tales about how our Dear Leader stood up to those pests Congress who kept insisting that the United States should concentrate on the two wars it’s already involved in. I’m sure Keith Olbermann will be doing his happy dance for all eight of Current TV’s viewers. Happy days have returned to the People’s Republic of Progressivakia! Seig heil, Fuhrer Obama! All hail Progressivakian Imperialism! Hope and Che for all! 2+2=5!
Now, let me be among the first to ask this very, very important question: Exactly what did we win ?
Sure, the victims of Pan Am 103 get some justice. I’m all for that. Mommar Qadaffiduck was a state sponsor of terror and a vile piece of excrement that the world doesn’t need in power. There’s no question that the world is .0000000000001% safer with Qadaffiduck not in power. But the answer to the question above is:
Nothing. We have won nothing.
Despite this “victory”, unemployment will still be at 9.2% for the foreseeable future. The housing market will still be dead. Gas prices will still be absurd. The stock market will still be as schizophrenic as Ron Paul’s cyberstormtroopers. American troops will still risking their lives in Iraq and Trashcanistan. Uncle Sam will still be drowning in red ink, and oh yes, the American people will still be oppressed by the Big Mommy Regime in Washington DC.
In other words, nothing will change, other than fact that America will be footing the bill for all kinds of goodies for the Libyan people. The American tax payer will be paying for roads, bridges, schools, and kinds of “shovel-ready projects” in Libya that they will never use or benefit from, much like in Iraq and Trashcanistan. (While I support the wars in both places, I do not support the way they are being fought. Either fight to win or don’t bother fighting. This winning “hearts and minds” crap is one of the big reasons The War on Terror is entering its 10th year. I don’t blame this on the brave men and women who are serving in those hell holes, I blame the squeamish politicians who are directing the war. Yeah, I know, I’m a heartless “neocon imperialist”. Blah, blah, blah. Yadda, yadda, yadda.) The American taxpayer will have his taxes raised so his wealth can be redistributed to the “worthy” Libyans.
We won. Yippee.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2767107/posts
****************************
It’s a very, very fine line.......