Ian Murray wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carl Remick" <carlremick at hotmail.com>
> To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 9:56 AM
> Subject: [lbo-talk] Splendid Little War II
>
> > [SLW I, the Spanish-American War, opened Act One of the American Empire.
> It
> > will be interesting to see what Act Two holds in store.]
>
> =========================
>
> I thought it was the Louisiana Purchase.....Or maybe the ratification of
> the Constitution itself..........
>
Just being a bunch of aggressive pricks & slavedrivers with a genocidal agenda (re the previous inhabitants) does not quite an Empire make. :-)
I think Carl's starting point isn't bad, esp. if one combines it with the Open Door Policy and the building of the Panama Canal. That's when the U.S. ruling class really stepped forward on the world stage.
Carrol