The British, Soviets and Romans had an empire and made no bones about it. The US is the only country that runs an Empire but kids itself that it doesn't.
An Empire doesn't require taxation of the subjects. The British didn't tax all of their subjects.
It involves control. Most Latin American countries have to do what the US says because of the consequences of disobeying. Saudi Arabia and many Oil Muslim states are American protectorates. Look at what happened to the Serbs for merely trying to retain the integrity of their country.
Yes, I remember. Tito and the Red Army beat the hell out of them.
Oh.... you mean Yugoslavia? When did that become a Serb country? And when did the commie fry of Tito become "The Serbs"?