Editorial: The Decline and Fall of the American Empire - Polidicks

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565229]America is not an Empire. Empires control several countries, and continue to rapidly expand. It is wrong to call it an empire.[/QUOTE] So America doesn't control other countries?

[QUOTE=Ultra Violence;26565446]Read as: lolitrolu[/QUOTE] At first I was, "What?" but then I was, "lolumad?"

Wait, America [i]had[/i] an empire? News to me.

[QUOTE=EDDY TT;26565482]Wait, America [i]had[/i] an empire? News to me.[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_American_War[/url]

[QUOTE=MrAfroShark70;26564466]This article changed all significant history of America forming into, becoming, and being a democracy. It is now an empire.[/QUOTE] Except we aren't, and never were, a democracy, either. [QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;26564490]The US, especially with Bush, were quite imperialistic in a stretch of the definition - intervening in foreign affairs for their own interests.[/QUOTE] That isn't the same as imperialism. Generally, when you think of imperialism, you think of military conquest and complete subjugation of peoples, not occupying them for a decade and then leaving them out to rot. An empire, perhaps (albeit a political and economic one, not territorial or military).

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565229]America is not an Empire. Empires control several countries, and continue to rapidly expand. It is wrong to call it an empire.[/QUOTE] If you're a language Nazi. [editline]8th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Jenkem;26565537]Except we aren't, and never were, a democracy, either.[/QUOTE] A representative democracy isn't a democracy because it's a [I]representative[/I] democracy? Is that what you're saying?

[QUOTE=Latency;26565566]If you're a language Nazi.[/QUOTE] I've said before already, all these terms are very vague and mostly composed by the personal opinions of the individual.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;26565598]I've said before already, all these terms are very vague and mostly composed by the personal opinions of the individual.[/QUOTE] Yep, it's a shame that most of the arguments on here can be summed up as huge misunderstandings or arguments over semantics, like this whole thread.

[QUOTE=Latency;26565629]Yep, it's a shame that most of the arguments on here can be summed up as huge misunderstandings or arguments over semantics, like this whole thread.[/QUOTE] Like this whole board.

[QUOTE=faze;26565477]So America doesn't control other countries?[/QUOTE] America influences other countries, but it doesn't actually "control" them.

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;26565682]America influences other countries, but it doesn't actually "control" them.[/QUOTE] I'd have to disagree. When you privatize and own a country's food, water, schools, and/or prisons ... they are your puppet. We have done this to several countries, namely those in South America.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;26565531][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_American_War[/url][/QUOTE] The Spanish always picked the wrong country to fight with, they lost to England despite at the time England having a smaller Naval military. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada[/url]

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565229]America is not an Empire. Empires control several countries, and continue to rapidly expand. It is wrong to call it an empire.[/QUOTE] It's an economic empire, never mind that empires don't necessarily rapidly expand. I think their idea of the Soviet Union is wrong though, the reality is it was in bad shape from the 60s on and disbanding it probably did Russia more good than bad.

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;26565682]America influences other countries, but it doesn't actually "control" them.[/QUOTE] Um...it's generally been "believe how we believe or you're fucked." Cuba's a good example of what saying "fuck you America" gets you.

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;26565682]America influences other countries, but it doesn't actually "control" them.[/QUOTE] America has staged numberless coups in the last 100 years. To say it doesn't control other countries is complete ignorance.

[QUOTE=faze;26565942]Um...it's generally been "believe how we believe or you're fucked." Cuba's a good example of what saying "fuck you America" gets you.[/QUOTE] Yeah but believing how you believe is different than controlling your government and shit.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26566178]Yeah but believing how you believe is different than controlling your government and shit.[/QUOTE] Um... what? I didn't say anything like that.

[quote=Faze, the preacher]it's generally been "believe how we believe or you're fucked."[/quote]

[QUOTE=HolyCrusade;26565011]I'd like to see sources for all the bullshit referenced to in the article. I am sick of all these nutjobs and European children thinking that the big bad [B]American EMPIRE[/B] will collapse like its some sort of video game. This is 2010, not the 18th century.[/QUOTE] European children lol this post screams of god bless america :patriot:

I think America should just resume the policy of isolationism. Quit fucking with the rest of the world, at least until you fix the shitty economy, education system, and give me a job. Also, I should try to go to college. At least scrape into a community college. The U.S. could remain on top of the world if we can still maintain a technological/military edge that's years ahead of everyone else. Just don't let China catch up, because American innovators will always be setting new finish lines.

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;26564770]For those who aren't bright enough to read the article, this isn't the Fall of America, it's the fall of their global foothold across the world. Right now the US has military bases in over 70 different countries to have a global influence, these will probably disappear and America will become isolated to the states.[/QUOTE] Why can't they get their own land?

[QUOTE=cqbcat;26566366]I think America should just resume the policy of isolationism. Quit fucking with the rest of the world, at least until you fix the shitty economy, education system, and give me a job.[/QUOTE] This isn't the 30's. You can't just do that anymore...

[QUOTE=Led Zeppelin;26566400]This isn't the 30's. You can't just do that anymore...[/QUOTE] Sadly this, everything is globalized now. Isolationism is why north korea is the best korea, it's still stuck in the fifties. You can no longer be isolated from other nations and succeed. America is hardly an empire and that article is entirely wrong about how long it takes for "Empires" to unravel. The fact that people disliked bush and immediately voted in obama is proof that america is still a democracy. The average person still has a lot of power in america, it just takes a lot to rouse the masses to vote.

[quote] "Empires" to unravel. [/quote] Rome.

[QUOTE=Bepo5;26566697]Sadly this, everything is globalized now. Isolationism is why north korea is the best korea, it's still stuck in the fifties. You can no longer be isolated from other nations and succeed. America is hardly an empire and that article is entirely wrong about how long it takes for "Empires" to unravel. The fact that people disliked bush and immediately voted in obama is proof that america is still a democracy. The average person still has a lot of power in america, it just takes a lot to rouse the masses to vote.[/QUOTE] So is Cuba, look at their cars for fuck's sake. That's not their fault though. Blame America for that.

[QUOTE=Adam.GameDev;26566384]Why can't they get their own land?[/QUOTE] We have our own land, We have those bases there in case one of our allies gets attacked, we can immediately respond to help them.

[QUOTE=faze;26566765]So is Cuba, look at their cars for fuck's sake. That's not their fault though. Blame America for that.[/QUOTE] But they supported them commies fifty years ago! Nope, can't trade with them! :tinfoil: It's not like america has many cars to sell though, they should be like us and trade with china instead.

[url]http://wimp.com/chomskyexplains/[/url]

[QUOTE=Bepo5;26566837]But they supported them commies fifty years ago! Nope, can't trade with them! :tinfoil: It's not like america has many cars to sell though, they should be like us and trade with china instead.[/QUOTE] Russia/USSR was communist, and so is China, and Vietnam today. We're not so much against them now are we? The new administration in Cuba is apparently in love with Obama. I'm kinda pissed that he extended the embargo.

[QUOTE=faze;26566908]Russia/USSR was communist, and so is China, and Vietnam today. We're not so much against them now are we? The new administration in Cuba is apparently in love with Obama. I'm kinda pissed that he extended the embargo.[/QUOTE] Agreed, it's stupid that we are still pressuring a nation from what they did sixty years ago. Cuba is hardly a threat and certainly does not need trade sanctions heaved on them for the last six decades. It's practically bullying and malice at this point rather than a subtle attack against a threat in the cold war.