And the US and it's citizens should not react with shock when they are seen as a hostile entity. The US is arrogant, history has a lot to say on the topic.

as hegemons go, there have been far worse

"Favourite oppressor" isn't exactly a saving grace.

apologies, i forgot that everything the US does is evil

Not everything the nazis did was evil either.

"There's someone more consistently harmful than us" doesn't make a good argument.

you can take this position about literally any power that has ever existed. it doesn't change the fact that during the period of US leadership the world has had objectively fewer wars and the greatest degree of economic growth in history, thanks in no small part due to that very leadership eg in establishing the UN. that doesn't mean it's perfect or hasn't done carried out many actions that may seem reprehensible from the political norms of our contemporary moment, but thinking of it as simply an 'oppressor' lacks nuance to such a degree that it's essentially adolescent.

you make the mistake of assuming that because your political opponents think america is good, it must be bad. hideously common sentiment these days, though.

Correlation does not equal causa... nevermind, I can't be bothered to carry this exchange any further.

Is that a reason we shouldn't expect better?

its influence

I always mess that up.