Well, I've been doing some reading (I was bored, this POS can't game, and dad's on the PS3) and came across 'empire,' as one does.
Then proceeded, as I do, via links, to read wikipedia for two and a half hours.
Liberal application of coke and conservative amounts of movement coincided.

Among my readings, I chanced upon the article 'American Empire' and found it to be a good read.

So, by the normal, traditional definitions of empire, what do you all think:
Does the United States of America constitute an empire?

It's the sole remaining official superpower, though other seek the title.

Officially, the last real empires died after WWII.
'Course, the Ottoman empire was more of a furniture factory by that point.

Just wondering, and I'm bored.
What do you expect?

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic. We are not an empire, Dansariki. Get some sleep, dude.

"Empire derives from the Latin word imperium, denoting “military command” in Ancient Rome. Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples (ethnic groups) united and ruled either by a monarch (emperor, empress) or an oligarchy."

Yeah, no. You're getting into very conspiracy-theorist territory if you believe America is an oligarchy.

The term American Empire is more of a reference towards the neo-colonialism that it is theorised the US is engaging in. People have been describing what the US (and the USSR before its breakup) has been doing as Imperialism...hence American Empire.

"Allegedly neo-colonial or imperial American vencutre inolve some of the same tactics that were used by former collonial powers, with many of the same objective (including preferntial access to resources, labour and markets)"

So yeah, I presume that is where the article is coming from.

Many of the world's previous empires spanned several countries, or regions. The United States spans only a few countries: the states and a few other islands. It doesn't geographically or country-ly qualify for empire status.

At what number of colonies do you class a country as being a colonial power to becoming an Empire?

Anyway, the idea of an American Empire has little to do with the USA controlling territories, its about Imperialistic tendencies through other methods.

I don't think America's an empire.
And I do get sleep.
I was just wondering what you people thought about the concept.
Sheesh.

And now you know. =D

So get some sleep.

I had some sleep, I was only up 'till ten or so, and was out till then, so I'm good.
So...
Can our multitude of bases around the world be construed as an empire?
Just wondering, can there be such a thing as an economic empire?

You know, turtles live for quite a few decades because of their slow metabolism...

And human's metabolism slows down.
Shush, I've had too much sleep and not enough food.