> Pretty much every major conflict in the second half of the 20th century was instigated or at least participated in by the US (Korea, Vietnam, both Gulf wars,

> Pretty much every major conflict in the second half of the 20th century was instigated or at least participated in by the US (Korea, Vietnam, both Gulf wars, Afghanistan, numerous conflicts in South America and SE Asia where the US tried to topple local governments etc). .... And pretty much every destructive building fire was instigated or at least participated in by the fire department, and every deadly epidemic was instigated or at least participated in by the medical community. Comparatively speaking, the world has enjoyed almost-unprecedented peace and prosperity since 1945. It's all the more remarkable when you consider the destruction wrought by World War II, together with the relentless drive for conquest by the USSR and other communist states, notably North Korea and North Vietnam. The U.S.'s contributions of blood and treasure were a necessary component of that peace and prosperity; the era really should be called the Pax Americana. Sure, we made some misjudgments along the way, some of them truly terrible. But Colin Powell, former U.S. secretary of state (and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), put it well [1]: "And when all those conflicts were over, what did we do? Did we stay and conquer? ... No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead." [1] http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Colin_Powell http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Colin_Powell