Quote:
Originally Posted by SportsJunky
Are you saying worth is wrong, that the U.S. didn't want to establish permanent bases in the Middle East? Are you sure?
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I think that they did want a power centre, other than Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East. I think that they truly wanted and believed that Iraq would make a smooth transition into a functioning liberal democracy.
I have a problem with the motives people assign the US. Personally, I'm against the war in Iraq, mainly because I believe in democracy, but not in democracy-building. I don't think the US was consciously acting as an imperial power, or were exclusively interested in acquiring resources. American history is weird, unique in a way only Americans can be.
The cultural influences affecting their foreign policy decisions swing between extremes and are ultimately very idealistic.