American Empire: A Debate

This book presents a debate between two thinkers on whether or not the American empire is a positive development or negative. While one presents the usual arguments for isolationism and multi-lateralism, despite the fact that it hasn't worked when it comes to preventing genocide in Darfur, the other presents arguments for America as a global empire with interests everywhere policing conflicts. But the debate misses a third point: the concept of the idea of American empire is itself flawed. America is a hegemon for all intents but whether that means it is an empire or that it wants to be an empire or is imperialistic is another matter. What is an empire? A third point should have been made that the arguments against American empire are arguing against a straw man that doesn't exist, and that there really are very few people that think America should be defined as an 'empire'. Seth J. Frantzman