On the avoidance of small wars

[Bob's World]

The latter always appears to me to be systematically exaggerated by U.S. Americans.
U.S.Americans rarely get the idea that often times other nations don't think that this or that intervention, containment or arms race is in their interest.

Sadly this is too true.

Thinking that one has "universal" values, and therefore interests, can cloud one's thinking in this regard...

Afterall, if we all share the same interests and values as defined by the US, then clearly our allies closest to some problem should jump on it if we think it is important, right???