Empires and Blood

All right everyone, I wanted to do so something a bit different today and originally I was debating with myself over doing something not so serious as I've been doing, mostly because I'm a bit too tired to jump into modern politics at the moment. Then this idea came to mind and I'd figure I run into it.
Now I love the Roman Empire, I've even considered getting an SPQR tattoo. The Roman Empire gave us a lot westerners a lot. Language, art, methods of construction, something grand to aspire to, but unfortunately they gave us a great deal of this on the back of their military might, and their military is one of the single most famous things about them, and one of the greatest inspirations to those that followed them.
Rome is called the 'first superpower' to many. It's might is unquestionable, but that might was not used for good purpose in many cases. Julius Caesar, the single most famous Roman, whose name inspired the title of kings and emperors, was, in modern terms, a war criminal. He and his legions killed and enslaved one forth to one half of Gaul's population of four million. That's monstrous thing, and he was not alone. Brutus offered his soldiers Greek cities to loot in exchange for a victory at Philippi. The Battle of Watling Street ended with the Roman legions murdering the Britons that could not escape, women and children included. And that rebellion only after Boudicca was beaten and her daughter raped by Romans.
Rome razed Carthage, led wars of conquest, enslaved millions, and murdered millions. I may love Rome and its wonderful history, but they did some terrible things. Now obviously, no one can change anything about that, so why am I saying it? For one, the truth of my words is not diminished by time. Rome was a great empire, but is was an empire, and empires require conquests. Conquests require blood and pain. Something that is still true today. So much of what befell the Roman Empire can be seen in modern America. Economic instability, corrupt government, foreign wars without end, all of these that we now face were felt by the first superpower and are now felt by us, another superpower. Our thirst for blood is killing us, and I don't want to watch my country fall into an abyss like the one Europe fell into when Rome fell. Rome was great, and gave us so much,  but its crimes eventually caught up with it and destroyed it. I don't want to see that happen again. Here or anywhere else.
I ended up rambling here. I really didn't want to bring modern politics into this. Truly, this was just meant to be a history lesson. Another perspective at famous historical figures and such. I do apologize for that, but do not let the fact that this became more of a rant than writing practice take away from what I am telling you. We are in grave danger, everyone in the whole world is. Things need to change. We need to set aside old heroes, men like Julius Caesar and women like Boudicca, those who use violence and bloodshed to advance some cause or another, and decide that war and battles are in no way beneficial. Hurting others solves nothing, you want proof of that, look at the world. Our history is filled with war, has some utopia come about? Are poverty and famine dead? Can you or I walk the streets without fear of crime? Can we travel from one side of the world to the other without risk to ourselves? There is my proof. Should you want more, you need but look yourself, I need not even provide more evidence myself.
That is all I have to do say for now. I do hope you all well, and I'll see you next time around. Thank you.