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> at least, not overtly, the way an empire would Not overtly ? Must have slept through shock and awe. EDIT: if I were to compare the invasion of Iraq to anyth

> at least, not overtly, the way an empire would Not overtly ? Must have slept through shock and awe. EDIT: if I were to compare the invasion of Iraq to anything it would be the Spanish-American War and the subsequent invasion and occupation of the Philippines (Kipling's "White Man's Burden" was written as a warning to the Americans). A spurious "cause" whipped up by media frenzy, followed by a long guerilla war much criticised at home and abroad.

metageek 16y ago
>Not overtly ? Must have slept through shock and awe. Invasion != conquest. The US has not taken Iraq as its territory, or claimed the right to control its government. An empire would. I said "not overtly" because there probably is a case to be made that we have actually taken control, at least to some degree, while pretending not to. Not the same thing, though--not least because, if we had conquered them, we'd be responsible for them.