America, as a nation is currently practicing “good imperialism;” trying to make the world a better place to live in. We send money to foreign countries while our national debt increases, we station military troops in more locations throughout the world than in our own country, and we fight for world peace while peace within our nation dwindles. This vast empire of political power, economic and military supremacy, exerts its influence over much of the world. America is

In this game of hegemony, Eland states that the strategy of our stability “holds that a massive imbalance of power makes for the most stable international system because no one will be willing or able to challenge the dominant power” (Eland, 5) America has become synonymous with the 20th century, we live in the American Century, in a state of "American Peace". By the might of our armies and wealth of economy, America has created an imperial peace, ensuring that threats to world peace are put in check. The "American Peace" has also been a justification to impose American will on almost every part of the world, from Vietnam to Haiti. In order to exert such power, the United States has created a massive military apparatus, and has undertaken numerous foreign obligations. Eland also states that this strategy of empire is fatally flawed. “It is the reality of international politics that do it in” (Eland, 5). But as the American Empire grows more powerful, it also becomes more complicated, and will eventually over-extend it’s obligations; and hence, become more difficult to sustain. It suffers from the ailments that inflict empires when they age: a loss of direction, fiscal excess, cultural degradation and a bloated military.

Sept. 11, 2001, pose both a foreign and domestic threat to American security. The war on terrorism has placed an insurmountable strain on our military forces. We have too many “irons in the fire” and are rapidly being stretched thinner and thinner. America can no longer afford to keep an exaggerated military intended to defend not only the United States, but also many of its allies. “The military diverts more than $300 billion annually in resources. America spends 40-65% of federal funds on defense, while only 0.5% on environmental protection and 0.2% on industrial developments. This despite the fact that pollution and loss of productivity are more immediate threats than nuclear attack or annihilation” (Kallick).

One cannot say when the United States will fall from power, or even if. No longer are there barbarians at the gate, nor vanquishing conquerors, or natural disasters that could mark the end of one empire and the rise of another. The pathology of American decline will be

Some topics in this essay:
Strikes Out”, Saudi Arabia, Eventually America, Center Sept, Trade Center, , American Empire, Soviet Union, War Antagonism, Vietnam Haiti, cold war, saudi arabia, terror american soil, eland 5, american empire, america's future, world nation, throughout world, american public, world trade center, soviet union, world peace,