Mark Twain expresses the views of many anti-imperialists by stating that US intervention should be limited to helping other countries gain their freedom and then letting them run their countries their own way. He did not believe that the US should remain in foreign territories, imposing American policies. This is reflected in the metaphor of the eagle and the talon. The symbol of the United States has long been the bald eagle, a majestic predator. Eagles use their talons to capture and kill prey. This imagery fits with the anti-imperialists’ objections to violent overseas wars and forcible colonization.
