[Aliantha]

I never said I was feeling smug or self satisfied UT. I'm simply responding to the thread, and the fact is, to all intents and purposes, the US is the new empire - roman or any other kind. You could just as easily suggest the US is the new British Empire.

The fact is, there will always be one more powerful nation which builds it empire on that strength, and just as all the others have done before, the glory days will end. I don't believe any empire in history has been an empire for the good of the countries they absorb or anex or settle. There's always been something in it for them. That's what empire building is for.

Of course there are often benefits for the 'new' members of that empire, but history suggests that the benefits are usually outweighed by the losses of culture suffered due to the nature of empire building.

Then again, that depends whose perspective you're viewing it from. Some do not value culture as highly as others.