The only thing left, it seems, before the United States of America is declared an Empire on par with Rome is for George Duhbya to declare himself a deity (from his dad's or mom's side, I do not know) and, well, that's about it. The newly issued "Bush doctrine" for foriegn policy reads like something out of the Victorian age when the European powers were carving up and taking seconds and thirds of Africa, Asia, and South America in the name of the spread of advancing civilization and demolishing barbarism. Bush has changed those ideas into ones of spreading "freedom" (my question is pre-September 11 freedom, or post...or even pre-November 2000 freedom when presidents were elected and not selected by one's father's appointments?) and "free trade", but aside from that, there's nothing to set them apart. Bush has finally come out and said "we intend to make the world like us, if they don't, we will blow them up before they can do something bad to us"...which is pretty much what Rome did two thousand years ago. The thing is, once that didn't work, they sent in the armies and took them over, appointing their own chosen leaders, and making the people act "Roman". The U.S., it seems, is headed down that road...at least the way I see it. Anyway, Salon has a good overview of opinions around the world on the matter. It's a good read.