Colossus : The Rise and Fall of the American Empire

Is America an empire? Certainly not, according to the U.S. government. Despite the conquest of two sovereign states in as many years, despite the presence of more than 750 military installations in two-thirds of the world's countries and despite his stated intention "to extend the benefits of freedom ... to every corner of the world," George W. Bush maintains that "America has never been an empire". "We don't seek empires," insists Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. "We're not imperialistic." Nonsense, says Niall Ferguson. In Colossus he argues that in both military and economic terms America is nothing less than the most powerful empire the world has ever seen. Just like the British Empire a century ago, the United States aspires to globalize free markets, the rule of law and representative government. In theory it's a good project, says Ferguson. Yet Americans shy away from the long-term commitments of manpower and money that are indispensable if rogue regimes and failed states really are to be changed for the better. This, he argues, is an empire with an attention deficit disorder, imposing ever more unrealistic timescales on its overseas interventions. Worse, it's an empire in denial - a hyperpower which simply refuses to admit the scale of its global responsibilities. And this chronic myopia may also apply to American domestic politics. When overstretch comes, he warns, it will come from within - and it will reveal that the American Colossus has more than merely feet of clay. THE FINAL CRIME NOVEL FROM THE KING OF PULP FICTION! For 20 years, former NYPD cop Jack Stang has lived with the memory of his girlfriend's death in an attempted abduction. But what if she didn't actually die? What if she somehow secretly survived, but lost her sight, her memory, and everything else she had#x85;except her enemies? Now Jack has a second chance to save the only woman he ever loved #x96; or to lose her for good THE FINAL CRIME NOVEL FROM THE KING OF PULP FICTION! For 20 years, former NYPD cop Jack Stang has lived with the memory of his girlfriend’s death in an attempted abduction. But what if she didn’t actually die? What if she somehow secretly survived, but lost her sight, her memory, and everything else she had... except her enemies? Now Jack has a second chance to save the only woman he ever loved – or to lose her for good. Cover; Acclaim For the Legendary Mickey Spillane; Excerpt; Other Hard Case Crime Books; Title Page; Copyright; Dedication; Table of Contents; Chapter One; Chapter Two; Chapter Three; Chapter Four; Chapter Five; Chapter Six; Chapter Seven; Chapter Eight; Chapter Nine; Chapter Ten; Chapter Eleven; Afterword; About the Author; Other Hard Case Crime Books The US government claims America is not an empire. Niall Ferguson disagrees and maintains it is the biggest empire the world has ever seen. It aspires to globalise free markets, the rule of law and representative government but he argues that it is a hyperpower which simply refuses to admit the scale of its global responsibilities Argues that the United States is both economically and militarily the most powerful empire in history and will feel negative consequences as a result of imposing unrealistic timescales on interventions abroad.