What are they thinking?

[scandium]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Oh they have been doing it for quite a bit after that. Remember the Soviet Union? Or China? Or to some extent England and France (holding on to what they had in a death grip).

Not really, and not on the same scale, no. By far, and I mean by far (we're talking entire continents here, not little third world countries like Korea... think Africa, North America, South America) the great imperial ventures were pre-20th century. In fact pre-18th century if we want to get into its peak. Much of the history since then has been marked by independence (whether bloody or bloodless) in the colonies and what colonialism has taken place since the 18th century has been on a smaller scale and shorter lived.

So we can't act for the common good simply because we have so much money?

Wouldn't that be rather socialist and run counter to the American ideal of rugged individualism? Is there so much of this "acting for the common good" (ie: socialism/liberalism) in the US that its spread to your foreign policy as well? Obviously no. Domestically the US spends among the lowest amounts (as a percentage of GDP) of industrialized countries (compare it to "socialist" Europe... or even "socialist" Canada) on social programs. In terms of foreign aid, again as a percentage of GDP, it is also one of the cheapest industrialized countries. This extends to foreign policy as well: if the policy is beneficial to the indigenous peoples then so be it; if it isn't, so be it. What matters in either case is that the policy is beneficial to the US and the "common good" is not a variable there (let alone the prime one). Of course other countries are no different but to believe the US is some lofty exception to this not only absurd, but profoundly naive.

Everyone complains when the US acts and they don’t like what we are doing and everyone complains when the US doesn’t and everyone doesn’t even bother to remember when the US acts and does good.

Well certainly this is what Americans have been telling themselves since they invaded Iraq. Ironically, at the time I remember only the worldwide protests begging the US not to invade but this goes to the parallel universe I believe many inhabit these days.

Incidentally, this may come as a surprise to you, but believe it or not its actually Canada, and not the US, that has led the most peace-keeping missions in the world. That despite our much smaller military and population. Of course Canada doesn't pretend to be the world's protector and savior... but we don't have God on our side like you do