perfidy

...ever have to go live in Doc Octopus' house, and take on financial and moral responsibility for feeding and sheltering his family, settling family disputes? 

I see your points about our moral imperative, the potential benefits of destabilizing the Middle East, etc, but I think you tend present matters as less complicated then they are. In five hundred years, when "AI unit:Edward_Gibbon00132" writes the Grand History of America, I hope things turn out the way you describe, with grand historical sweep intact. In fact, I hope that's how they turn out tomorrow. But, I'm not as confident as you are that this is the case. 

There are very real perils in choosing to go outside the UN to effect a coup in a foreign nation, and also in insisting that Iraq give up its stores of "WMD's" while keeping our own intact. 

There are very real perils in embarking on what could be a long-term occupation of another country when there has been no talk of how to finance this effort. What-- is the UN gonna foot the bill? 

There are also very real perils in choosing not to join the World Court and sign the Kyoto accord, which would evolve some sovereignty over US citizens to international bodies, while simultaneously pursuing policies that make other nations cede sovereignty to us when we deem the situation too grim. 

Understand, I'm not pleading for a totally internally consistent Weltschauung for US diplomacy to work within, that's impossible. Rather, I'm asking for the government to at least give some thought and consideration to the inconsistencies that can undermine the very endeavor they are working to build.