While I agree with that assessment, it requires a narrow focus. The fact remains that this has happened before w/ varying degrees of "success" and it will continue to happen till the impetus for it is eliminated.
Ever see the movie "Bruce, Almighty"? Bruce is a good guy. Not a very nice guy, sort of an asshole in his day-to-day personal dealings. But, underneath it all, he's really a mensch. Like a lot of ppl, he idly thinks the world would be better, more fair, less messed up if he were God. Well, he gets his wish. W/ all the good intentions in the world, he manages to fuck things up in monumental preportion till God comes back from a brief but well deserved vacation.
I know, I know, sacreligious to the umpteenth degree from the POV of a devout ... well, any religion. But I think it illustrates something important and real.
All good intentions aside, America as the worlds last remaining superpower is fucking things up on to monumental preportion. What else did we expect? Has any empire in all of human history ever accomplished any other result? We should get back to the business of demonstrating the high ideals embodied in our Constitution and quit trying to play God. Remember, folks, it can only be called playing when everyone involved is having fun. Apparently, the ppl of the mideast aren't having anywhere near as much fun at this as we are. If we continue to fail to seperate the actual results of our actions from our good intentions, they'll continue to try whatever they can come up with to bring it to our attention.
Necessity is the excuse for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of the tyrant and the creed of the slave.
-- William Pitt, 1763