Oh dear. (smile) Such nastiness. Such snottiness.

Why does it always have to come down to personal attacks on a poster you happen to disagree with about something, Ron?

My point is that all great powers practice grand imperial strategy. The USA does, and has been doing so ever since Teddy Roosevelt's era, if not before. Britain does and has done so since the time of Queen Elizabeth the 1st. France did also, but took a few setbacks here and there...thus their profile is a bit lower than it used to be. Russia does...has also taken some setbacks. Spain once did. Holland once did. Belgium once did. China does. Lesser powers also often practice more localized imperial strategy, but they necessarily do it on a more limited scale.

The USA is the greatest power in the world at the moment, so its plans rank in the affairs of other nations than some of its competitors, but they all do it. Because the USA is number one right now, it is hated by many people. As such, it's in the position that Britain once was or that Rome once was.

History repeats itself....but the weapons grow ever more destructive. And the world gets smaller. And the stakes get higher.

I don't like arguing with you, Ron, because you keep descending to really quite vicious personal attacks on me, laden with ill feeling. It's not healthy for me even to get drawn into responding to them, and that's why I often don't.

Really, man. Your attitude is poisonous.