Sorry,calmobserver
I have to disagree with your premise about the United States being an empire.
Wishful thinking at best.lol
Here's why America goes to war with a country knocks shit down, and then after they win spend money to build it back up, and then turn it back over to the people that started the war.
If that's not enough there's foreign aid I doubt if anybody has the real numbers but lets just say a pretty good chunk of change,and the kicker some of these countries hate the United States they burn our flags they make signs about us being wrong,ect
I'm not saying I'm a history major but I thought a conqured country would surrender it's government to an empire not ask them to rebuild and then get it back
I thought countries was supposed to pay tribute to an empire not an empire pays tribute to countries.
And the nail in the coffin so to speak any country that has a national disaster who shows up with money and suppies good old United States.
Which is all good but no EMPIRE I assure you.