[elhombrelibre]

Pat’s against empire building, except when the empires being built are those of US enemies, like Putin’s Russia. When it’s an empire of US allies or not really empires but places where US influence and mutual cooperation is dominant, he’s quite hostile. He’s not really consistent on this.

[duckln]

I don't think the USSR ever had an empire in the sense that the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the Dutch had.

Today the empire builders are the Islamists and NATO. Not Russia. They have so much resources of their own to exploit, they don't need more. Putin is protecting what they have.