In general, Americans and especially our businessmen and politicians have totally and utterly lost the ability to consider long term problems. The consequences

In general, Americans and especially our businessmen and politicians have totally and utterly lost the ability to consider long term problems. The consequences simply don't matter. It's the next guy's problem, it's the next administration's problem, it's the next generation's problem. If your actions don't have immediate consequences, there are no consequences for you. The implicit assumption is that you do not care even one iota if somebody else has to deal with the consequences of your actions so long as you, personally, don't. This is a widespread cultural failing, and the root of a lot of our problems. The recent actions of the US Gov make more sense with the understanding that all of the people involved are 100% certain they will never, ever face any consequences for anything they do. And they are largely correct. Most of them will never see any negative impacts for the suffering they cause. Accountability is for lesser people and our politicians are fully exempt from all laws and due process, apparently. They believe that the US is un-challenged and invulnerable. They genuinely think the rest of the world will either fall to their knees and begin licking boots, or will just go away. US supremacy must remain unchallenged and unquestioned, and will always be so. There's really no deeper rationale or strategy here. No one has considered the long term consequences because consequences don't exist.