It might be honest to admit that America was expected to overthrow governments, protect Europe, Japan, the Gulf. In short to be the world's policeman. There hasn't been a world war in 70 years. That is either due to luck or something that happened to prevent it.
You can argue, and no one can disprove, that the Long Peace would have happened anyway. But that is counterfactual. All we know is what did happen. And what did happen was that 3 generations have known no general war.
The other counterfactual is that socialism or communism, properly implemented, will lead to a better way. That's what hasn't happened. What actually did occur is that socialism and communism killed tens of millions. That's the factual. Even now, in China, it continues.
The US isn't perfect. As someone once put it: "Does America cheat and lie? Yeah. But it cheats and lies less than others."
That's as good as it gets in this world.
That's as good as it gets in this world.
This is the terrible, tawdry reality which Donald Trump will never be forgiven for describing. 'Europe should pay us for defending them. The gulf potentates should pay us for defending their oil.' It's hurtful because it's true. It's all underwritten by the Deplorable in uniform.
This makes populism controversial. For everyone who hates the idea of America being the global policeman there's an equal number who are terrified by the idea of America NOT being the global policeman because who can argue with our standard of living (before the virus) today?
