has the USA been a force of evil in the world since the conclusion of WWII?

[opebo]

Why is everyone talking about the Soviet Union?  It has nothing to do with the question at hand. 

Of course I realize that it was the excuse for much of the capitalist empire's brutality, but we see no reduction in same now that that idealistic experiment is gone, so I think we can all agree that claim was just propaganda. 

Brutality is necessary, both inside and outside of a highly elitist and organized slave camp like the US.  No need to go to some jungle or desert, just look at any prison right down the road, or even any ghetto.

[Person Man]

There seems to be too much relativism in this argument... good people do bad things and can generally repent, but the road to hell is paved in good intentions. Basically, we have a tight rope to stand on, but we can do it.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

There seems to be too much relativism in this argument... good people do bad things and can generally repent, but the road to hell is paved in good intentions. Basically, we have a tight rope to stand on, but we can do it.

Indeed. Alot of ideas seem right and noble at the time but are epic fail in the long run.

[Ban my account ffs!]

A force of exploitation of others for its own benefit?  Yes.

A force of evil?  No.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

America's post-WWII poliies have in quite a few cases hurt american and global interests in the name of being 'noble' or 'protecting democracy'. Just because you have perfect intentions when you do something which is horrible in the long run still doesn't make you a good person.

[Colin]

A force of exploitation of others for its own benefit?  Yes.

I would like to ask you, though, when has a country not acted like this in the history of civilization? America is just par for the course when it comes to human history. I don't see why people expect the United States to act differently from these other nations. Look at the speeches of politicians in the Roman Republic, of Titus Flaminius' speech to the Greek city states as the Isthmian Games, or the reason for the Second Punic War or the writings of Scipio Africanus or Cicero. Here is a nation that is going around the Mediterranean and actively asserting its dominance but still calls out that they are the protectors of freedom, liberty, and the rights of nations to govern themselves. Really its hauntingly similar to the rhetoric of the United States and the British Empire before us.