In this short, accessible book Chris Layne and Brad Thayer argue the merits and demerits of an American empire. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States emerged as the lone, unrivalled superpower on the world stage. America's military, diplomatic and economic - not to mention it's cultural and ideological - presence is felt throughout the world. With few, if any, rivals to its supremacy, the current administration has made an explicit commitment - in its 2002 National Security Strategy - to maintaining and advancing primacy for the US in the world. But, what exactly are the benefits of American hegemony for the US and the world and what are the costs and drawbacks for this fledgling empire? After making their best cases for and against an American empire, subsequent chapters will allow the authors to respond to the major arguments presented by their opponents and present their own counter arguments.