35. Reflection: American Imperialism

In July, 2013, Samantha Power appeared before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Committee was considering whether Power should be confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. She was perhaps most famous outside the United States as the author of “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide, an excoriating attack on America’s inaction in the face of atrocity. At the hearing, Representative Ron Johnson of Wisconsin pounced, quoting Power as having once called the U.S. the “most important empire in the history of mankind.” He was incredulous: “Do you believe America is an empire?” he asked, implying that the very idea was unthinkable. Power shook her head no, and said: “I believe that we are a great – a great and strong and powerful country, and the most powerful country in the world. Also the most inspirational.” Empire, she said, “is probably not a word choice that I would use today … ”