The thesis of Michael Cox as described in “Empire through Denial? Debating US Power", is primarily that the United States of America is an empire and that current beliefs to the contrary are the result of denial due to the negative connotations associated with the concept of empire, not a lack of adequacy of it. term to describe the current state of American foreign policy. The first problem raised by Cox is that of the lack of understanding and study of the concept of empire by current research in the field of international relations (Cox 2004, p230). This seems valid, but only insofar as it relates to Cox's other claim that the orthodoxy of American society and academia is opposed to calling America an empire. In liberal-dominated media, “empire” continues to be a “dirty word” (Dowd 2009), linked as it is by the American people to stories of German and Japanese imperial ambitions (Townsend 2009). Cox states that self-identification with this term is avoided by even more erudite members of society, but that this reality is quite obvious to outsiders (2004, p230). While the lack of acceptance of the United States as an empire is highlighted by the same While this debate is necessary, the claim that it is a denial of reality is less founded. Cox raises the question of territorial acquisition and scale (2004, p. 230) as criteria for empire, arguing, as others have (Meinig, 1993), that actions like l The Louisiana Purchase demonstrates that the United States meets the qualifications of classical definitions of empire. the distinction from classical definitions is necessary because of the current state of uncertainty as to what an empire is. The Empire, both in print and as an idea, lacks...... middle of paper ......k the considerable nature of the distinct American empire; the global hegemony of the United States in finance, education, media and international law; while NATO, ANZUS and Israel speak directly to the conciliatory and consolidation efforts of successive, democratically elected US governments. Given the available evidence, Cox's thesis appears strong. America is indeed located at the top of an empire, modern and robust. And while the American people may be unwilling to accept this, or unable to accept being in the position of those they previously portrayed as enemies for the same reasons, there is a clear trend and persistent in the expansion and promotion of this empire. , despite and without any consequences or consideration of the state of denial in which the majority of citizens of the United States of America currently find themselves.