US, The next Great Brittain?

[Toad]

Actually, they went to Cuba in search of a refreshing new alcoholic beverage to ease the muggy summer evenings on the East Coast.

Thus was born the Cuba Libre.  

[midnight Target]

We paid for California!

the United States paid Mexico $15,000,000 cash and assumed some $3,250,000 more in claims of American citizens on the Mexican government. Considering the facts that California was scarcely under Mexican control at all and might have been taken at any moment by Great Britain, France, or Russia; that New Mexico was still the almost undisturbed home of Indian tribes; that the land from the Nueces to the Rio Grande was almost a desert; and that the American troops were in possession of the Mexican capital, the terms offered Mexico were very generous. Polk was urged by many to annex the whole country of Mexico to the United States, but he refused to consider such a proposal.

Just a little real estate transaction is all.

[Sandman]

Plumbob, pay close attention to Sikboy and MT... they can show you how to set up your rod and reel for this sort of thing.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Sikboy
I was hoping that this thread would be about the inevitable decline of US hegemeny. Instead it's a poorly laid out argument for US isolationism, that doesn't establish it's own contentions. Oh well.

-Sikboy

I was hoping this would be a discussion about how the US population is becoming socialist, living in imagined glory, and suffering from bad teeth.

Instead, its a discussion of Teddy's Manifest Destiny policy and being the world's policemen and all that.  What fun is it to re-hash moot politics?  Let's talk about the statehood of Puerto Rico instead!

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by Charon
Then there was Panama (Bully!)

This is the funniest line of the day to me.

-Sikboy

[Thrawn]

Originally posted by midnight Target
The US has been anti-imperialist from the beginning. The fact that we had abundant resources just allowed us to be true to our original ideals. (Manifest destiny is a whole other kettle of fish).

We have never simply conquered and kept land for ourselves.

How many countries does the US have military facilities in?

[Glasses]

Originally posted by gofaster


I was hoping this would be a discussion about how the US population is becoming socialist, living in imagined glory, and suffering from bad teeth.

Instead, its a discussion of Teddy's Manifest Destiny policy and being the world's policemen and all that.  What fun is it to re-hash moot politics?  Let's talk about the statehood of Puerto Rico instead!

You'd want this island as a state oh my! Be careful what you ask for  they might think you're serious...

Anyhow I believe the imperialism of the US was officially declared with the Monroe doctrine, that stated the USA had the "god given right" to do as it may under the mantle of spreading democracy and creating a greater empire. Of course, I could be mistaken  and keep in mind that is not a direct quote but captures the essence of it including the god part.

Considering how weak the Spanish empire was and considering it had about only 2 colonies left in the New World it is hardly unlikely they caused The Maine "attack" ,they as in Washington needed an excuse to launch the War they got it in an incident which was of their own making. The military will always be right so in their eyes it indeed was an attack thus was justified  That is war and politics.

[midnight Target]

Originally posted by Thrawn


How many countries does the US have military facilities in?

All of them.

Glassess:

Maybe that was a troll and if so I bow to your subtlety. If not it is obvious that you have never read the Monroe Doctrine. It is exactly the opposite of what you quote. It states our abhorance for Imperialism and that we will not countenance any interference from European Powers against existing independent Countries in our hemisphere. Here is a snip from a very long speech.

We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered and shall not interfere. But with the Governments who have declared their independence and maintain it, and whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.

[LePaul]

The crest to the USS Maine is a few miles from me, it was recently re-done/revitalized and looks fabulous.

Some links for more info

http://www.mpbc.org/mpbcsite/television/ussmaine/ussmaineinfo.html

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-m/maine.htm

The other U.S.S. Maines

Second battleship Maine , authorized May 4, 1898, launched in 1901, served with Atlantic fleet from 1903 to 1907, joined "Great White Fleet's" cruise around the world 1907 to 1908, served with the Atlantic fleet during and after the Great War, decommissioned in 1920, scrapped according to the provisions of the Washington Naval treaty of 1922.

Third battleship Maine authorized and named in 1940, Montana class. Entire class suspended 1942, cancelled 1943.

Fourth Maine , Trident submarine, launched 1994, commissioned at Kittery, 1995.


(from http://www.spanamwar.com/mainparts.htm)

Here's the newest USS Maine (I recently spoke to them as they upgraded their Naviagtion software....)  http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ohio/