Glenn Reynolds does something much more effectively here than I did here. But the sentiment's the same.

Glenn's words:

But I�m getting kind of tired hearing the United States accused of behaving like an imperial power when it isn�t. And I worry that these false accusations, repeated over and over, may actually make genuine American imperialism more likely, as the �American street� decides that if we�re going to be called an empire, we might as well act like one. What, after all, could Robert Fisk or his ilk say about America in reponse to the above that they haven�t already said anyway?

and mine:

Know what, I say fuck it. Let's start behaving the way all of our most hysterical critics pretend like we already do, and see how they like that. Let's march into Venezuela and take over the oil fields. Let's tell the UN to go blow itself, and just march into Iraq, kill Saddam, take the oil for our own use, and tell everyone else to get stuffed. If France and Germany want to complain, let's pull all of our support and military might from their respective countries and let them deal alone with the terrorism their current attitude of appeasement is going to foster. Let's stop fettering Israel by making them live up to moral and ethical standards their enemy completely ignores. Hell, give Israel carte blance to deal with their own problems however they see fit. Next time the Il regime in North Korea talks about unleashing a sea of fire, let's show them what one really looks like. Lock up the actors and really stifle the dissent. I mean, if everyone already hates us for for the horrible things we are alleged to do when we don't really do them, why don't we give them what they seem to crave? Turn America loose, kick anyone's ass that disagrees, and grab all of the oil we can to power our SUVs and run all of our technogadgets.

Getting blamed for all of the world's ills gets kind of old, especially when you aren't doing a fraction of the evil stuff you are being accused of (but stuff you could do if you wanted, none the less). Sort of like getting jailed for soliciting prostitution when all you were really doing is offering a lady a ride home. I mean hell, if you're going to have to do the time or take the hit regardless of whether you are innocent or guilty, then you might as well have the satisfaction of doing the crime.

OK, so the words ain't as purty, but you get my drift just the same.