Not really sure how you're making the "empire" qualification. An empire by definition is not an entity which gets to make extraterritorial moves with impunity.
Just seems silly to try and cast the US as an "empire" here when all you're really saying is "the US is a very powerful nation".
Just seems silly to try and cast the US as an "empire" here when all you're really saying is "the US is a very powerful nation".