Mr Hanson, the name is BOUTwell rather than Bothwell. The question is EMPIRE rather than the form of government. The USA has been subject to the "moral equivalent for war" since Wilson's first term. The only reason to hope for the exceptionalism of the USA is perhaps that we have stepped back from empire when we had the chance (SA war, WWI, WWII). My greatest fear for the USA is the lack of perspective of the current series of (temporary) chief executives from Clinton on down.