>Although I agree with the gist of your post, especially the direct murder of lots of natives, I am unsure on the part of "The two countries that we could be acused of 'ruling' or 'occupying'". To which countries do you refer to? Surely it is way more than two. Benevolent occupation (colonization some might say), or not, there are a few (list is by no means complete), Philippines, Guam, Samoa, Saipan, and other pacific Islands, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras and at one point or another most Central American countries.
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>Before somebody complains about the list. Yes, we did invade - and stay -in many Central American Countries (Note that I am not considering our small invasion of Mexico by Gen. Pershing on this list as it was unrelated to this issue). The Philippines was for all intents and purposes an American Colony for a few years. Most of the islands I mentioned (except Cuba) were - and still are to this day - American Colonies. "Commonwealth" is just an eufemism. They are not independent (like the Phillippines is after we left - and Spain before us), nor they are a State with full rights and votes like Hawaii.

Alex;

An interesting point of history is the American defeat of the Mexican army (Mexican American War) and capturing many areas such as Vera Cruz and Mexico City. The United States had the opportunity of incorporating all of Mexico into itself but did not. We just took Texas and the California Territories. Had we annexed Mexico then perhaps the French would not have taken it over. Then again we were enjoying our own Civil war during the period when the Mexicans and French were at war. Also today we would not be talking about illegal from Mexico.

By the way there was thought to send troops to help the Mexicans fight the French, but we did not have enough troops to fight two wars. (Sounds contemporary) We did however send weapons to the Mexican Army, which is not a well-published fact.

Imagine without France we would not have won the Revolutionary War. We could have been fighting them in the 1860’s. Oh yes, it was the French Monarchy who helped us. Now whatever happened to them? :)

Tom