[garply]

I live in China, which I wouldn't even call totalitarian but rather authoritarian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism#Difference_betw...), so I can't find much sympathy for the 'totalitarian' part.

But I think a decent knowledge of history would reveal that the US functions in many ways that are similar to how historical empires functioned.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/US_milita...

I wouldn't go so far as to say that we still have many colonies, but a huge amount of spheres of influence across the planet? Yes.

When we are studied 500 years in the future, I suspect the US' historical role during this past century or so will be likened to the role of Britain at the peak of the British empire.

[jleyank]

Agree. Read Paul Kennedy and think of Britain in 1914.