Is the United States an empire?

In political science, an empire is defined as a large political unit that exercises authority
over various territories. An empire can exercise authority either formally or through other forms
of informal domination (Immerwahr, 2016). States that are put together under one supreme rule
are considered to be an empire. In this light, the United States can be considered to be an empire.
The country has been exhibiting various aspects of imperialism. As a superpower, the United
States controls various independent states (Immerwahr, 2016). States that act contrary to the
agenda advanced by the United States are subjected to various economic sanctions. America has
extended its political, economic, and cultural influence across the world. An example is the
invasion of Libya by the United States. The country was involved in aiding anti-Gaddafi rebels.
The United States’ intervention in various states has been mainly damaging. An example
is the 2003 attack on Iraq. The administration of George W. Bush sought military intervention
from the year 2001 (Ezeibe & Ogbodo, 2015). The aim of the attack was to ensure that Iraq was
disarmed of weapons of mass destruction. In addition, the United States claimed that it wanted to
free the Iraqi people as well as end the terror threats posed by the Saddam Hussein
administration. The war was, however, largely destructive. Many civilians were killed in the war.
Peace and stability were damaged, and this left Iraq worse off than it was before the invasion
(Ezeibe & Ogbodo, 2015). The United States should seek to ensure that it takes on a lesser
aggressive role in politics across the world. Such a move would help in protecting the interests of
sovereign states across the world.

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References

Immerwahr, D. (2016). The greater United States: Territory and empire in US
history. Diplomatic History, 40(3), 373-391.
Ezeibe, C. C., & Ogbodo, S. (2015). Political Economy of US Invasion of Iraq. JL Pol’y &
Globalization, 40, 144.