Google is becoming a tool for US imperialism.

"Whether it is being just a company or “more than just a company,” Google’s geopolitical aspirations are firmly enmeshed within the foreign-policy agenda of the world’s largest superpower. As Google’s search and internet service monopoly grows, and as it enlarges its industrial surveillance cone to cover the majority of the world’s population, rapidly dominating the mobile phone market and racing to extend internet access in the global south, Google is steadily becoming the internet for many people. Its influence on the choices and behavior of the totality of individual human beings translates to real power to influence the course of history."

Their intentions are interesting to me. Is this a money thing? Why would Schmidt want to use his life to do this?

I think this quote from Stratfor's VP leaked email sums it well: "Google is getting WH [White House] and State Dept support and air cover. In reality they are doing things the CIA cannot do... "

Google has a foreign affair agenda and close ties with the State Dept.