The notion of ôempireö, according to Hardt and Negri (2000), has been in existence for thousands of years. An empire, by definition, consists of an extended amount of territory that is controlled to a large degree by a single nation or state actor. The ancient Roman Empire was a classic example of such a system. Today, with a single global superpower in the form of the United States of America, there are analysts suggesting that another ôempireö has been or is being formed (Hardt & Negri, 2000).
This essay will examine the idea that the United States is engaged in building an empire. It will explore this concept with respect to the American-led intervention in Iraq. This is case study of nation-building and of interventionism by one state or states in the internal political affairs of another state.
Despite defeat in the first Gulf War, the Saddam Hussein regime continued to exercise total domination in Iraq (Tripp, 2002). Various United Nations resolutions were ignored or given minimal attention by SaddamÆs government. Further attacks on dissident groups within Iraq, coupled with a refusal to permit United Nations inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and other sanctioned weaponry to complete their tasks, also characterized the policies of the regime after the first gulf War. Taken together, these actions and the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack on the United States created a new opportunity for the United States to again become engaged with Iraq. The Bush Doctrine (Bush, 2003; Falk, 2003), formulated in the aftermath of 9/11, emphasizes pre-emption, or the right to use military force against any state that is seen as hostile or makes moves to acquire weapons of mass destruction whether those weapons are nuclear, biological, or chemical or, alternatively, might pose a future threat. President George W. Bush (2003, p. 269) clearly articulated this position and asserted AmericaÆs right and obligation...