American Empire?

The American government is showing more signs that it thinks it is now ruling the world. The US Supreme Court ruled today that United States courts can decide cases filed against foreign governments, allowing a woman living in Los Angeles to sue the Austrian government over artwork stolen from her family by the Nazis in 1938.

Now in the particular case in question, I personally think that the woman filing the suit has a strong argument that the art is hers. Furthermore, the issue of art stolen by the Nazis should have been cleared up 50 years ago.

But where does the U.S. come off claiming to have jurisdiction? The crime took place on another continent! By this kind of (il)logic, the British should be suing us for the cost of the Boston Tea Party.