But we’re NOT an empire!

TMQ:

Rumsfeld to Joint Chiefs: There’s Been Some Mistake, We Missed 15 Countries: Just before Super Bowl kickoff, Al Michaels welcomed U.S. armed forces members “serving overseas in 175 countries.” Yours truly thinks grateful thoughts about the men and women defending our liberty, and the concept of liberty, by serving overseas. Yet there are 191 nations in the world. We have troops stationed in 175 of them? Make that 176, including here. We have soldiers in 92 percent of the world’s nations?

I always enjoy speaking those who insist that there is no American empire because we elect a president. I like to ask them two questions:

1. Have you ever heard of the Athenian Empire?
2. Who was its emperor?