If the US were ruled by a dictator and had no market forces, the US could obviously conquer any of the above. It would just come at such immense cost and requir

If the US were ruled by a dictator and had no market forces, the US could obviously conquer any of the above. It would just come at such immense cost and require such horrors that a voting public and a responsive market make it politically untenable to actually pursue. Which is good!