""Colossus" was a weak argument at best that ignores the contradiction of its central premise:..."

That's because you require an absolute good.

Actually its Ferguson's argument, not mine. Empire, Federations, Commonwealths, and pretty much every other multinational framework you can name has its good and ill points. Ferguson argues for "empire" exclusively and shows no reflection in the book or his public dialogue for the negative aspects of it.

Ferguson, being a pragmatist and, I expect, older and wiser than you, is talking about a relative good.

And here I thought conservatives (in whose company I've grouped you, apologies if I've done so unfairly) decried that kind of moral relativism.

As for Ferguson's "pragmatism", its again telling he opts for empire and nothing else. In my experience pragmatists would go for what works best, not what they prefer. But perhaps I'm giving him too much credit; he does seem to be a niche author, after all.

And there is no inherent contradiction between 'goodness' and 'empire'. Empire, as a strict concept of a centre and a periphery, is morally neutral to many historians.

Oh I agree. "Morality" is really the providence of men and not nations. However the quest for empire carries with it significant empirical consequences, which like it or not cannot be declared "morally neutral", at least not without resorting to extreme reductionism of positive versus negative outcomes for those involved.

My point, again, is Ferguson shows no appreciation of this point. His argument, couched as it is in unspoken absolutes, proves faulty in the extreme.

What would an American nation state look like if we factor out its 'imperial' acquisitions of most of its own territory?

'Imperial acquisitions'? Well there was the War of American Invasion as the Mexicans refer to that dust-up in the late 1840s, and of course the Westward Expansion came at the expense of the First Nations. One should remember even those came under the Federal Republic system outlined in the US Constitution, despite the whole 'manifest destiny' chimera.

Did you have other 'acquisitions' in mind?

Its far more complex than empires bad, nation states good.

Inarguably.

"America conquering the world like the British attempted? No thanks, Niall."

Err..not what he was suggesting.

Sadly, that's what he was. He at least had the good sense to look beyond the military sphere, something the current Administration has failed to do.

"Nevertheless, you are here and comment directly quite often. "

Such peerless powers of observation.

Thank you.