The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American Empire

From denying the very existence of an American Empire to denouncing its current manifestation in the "war on terror" as one of the greatest dangers facing humanity, this collection of 20 previously published essays examines the question of American hegemony from a range of political viewpoints. Presented by Bacevich (international relations, Boston U.), the essays fall largely within the mainstream of American political debate, with some by the likes of Charles Krauthammer lauding the "unipolar era" and the U.S.'s benign hegemony while others urge a return to multilateral liberalism of earlier years. The voices of radicals are occasionally heard, such as in the essay by World Socialist Web Site editor David North. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR