Imperialism occurs when a state government tries to exert power over a territory that does not belong to the country. This can happen directly, by territorial acquisition, or indirectly, by economic or political influence.
The United States should not engage in imperialism, because the benefits are always one-sided. While the U. S. might benefit, the other country is unlikley to do so. Moreover, if the reason for taking over the territory is out of humanitarian concern, there are many measures that the government can take before resorting to imperialism.
