I don't think you can speak of the good without considering the bad. Nobody celebrates Adolph Hitler for the good he did, although he did get Germany out of a s

I don't think you can speak of the good without considering the bad. Nobody celebrates Adolph Hitler for the good he did, although he did get Germany out of a serious recession and got rid of a huge unemployment problem quickly. Of course that is an extreme example, but we often use extreme examples to make a point. The problem with just speaking of good things is that many good things are intrinsically linked to bad things. Getting rid of Saddam Hussein was clearly a good thing viewed in isolation. But viewed in context with all the problems it caused it was probably a bad thing. Far more people have suffered due to the invasion of Iraq than people who have benefitted. Opposing a socialists dictatorship in Afghanistan was in principle a good thing. But when the alternative becomes Taliban and bin Laden then clearly it was a bad thing. Encouraging a capitalist democracy in Vietnam was also seen in isolation a good thing. In practice in turned into a horrible thing, causing huge amounts of suffering, not just in Vietnam but also triggering genocide in Cambodia. This is a reoccurring thread with American foreign engagements. So much of what America does is theoretically good, but ends up being horrible in practice. As long as Americans think they are mainly a force for good and don't acknowledge all the screwup properly, America will keep screwing up things. The best way for America to do good I think is to accept they are not exceptional, don't know all the answers and actually have to listen to others to find the best solutions. I have no doubt that there is a tremendous will in America do to the good thing. The problem is that the will is not matched with the wisdom and humbleness needed to accomplish it.