As the world watches the fallout of ‘Operation Epic Fury’ in Iran and the recent maneuvers in Venezuela, it is clear that modern-day military posturing is not an isolated event. It is the latest chapter in a century-long saga of American interference. This article examines the character of the United States—a nation that systematically uses the language of ‘democracy’ to justify the mechanics of war. To understand why the internal peace of sovereign nations is so fragile today, we must look at the historical ‘bully’ tactics used to protect American profits and power.
At the start of the 1900s, the U.S. moved from being a local power to a global ‘policeman.’ This change was built on the ‘Big Stick’ policy of Theodore Roosevelt. The premise was simple: if a country had resources American companies wanted, the U.S. military ensured they got them. This birthed ‘Dollar Diplomacy.’ It was never about helping nations grow; it was about making sure their laws were ‘friendly’ to American capital. Whenever a leader prioritized national welfare over foreign profit, Washington swiftly branded them a ‘threat’ to the freedom it claimed to protect.
KILLING A DEMOCRACY FOR OIL: THE IRANIAN TEMPLATE
The 1953 coup in Iran remains the perfect example of how the U.S. behaves when its greed is challenged. When Iran’s elected leader, Mohammad Mossadegh, decided to take control of his country’s oil to help his own citizens, the CIA stepped in. They didn’t just remove a man; they destroyed a democracy. They installed a king who spent billions on American weapons while his secret police terrorized the people. This ‘dirty role’ destroyed Iran’s progress and created a bitterness that still shapes global instability today.
VIETNAM: THE BUSINESS OF CONSTANT CONFLICT
Vietnam showed the world that the U.S. was willing to erase a nation to prove a political point. For twenty years, the U.S. dropped more bombs on Southeast Asia than were used in all of World War II. The ‘defense weapons market’ thrived while millions died. The U.S. claimed it was ‘saving’ Vietnam, but it left behind a graveyard and a ruined economy, all to feed a military machine that thrives on perpetual war.
THE ‘DOLLAR RAJ’ AND FINANCIAL TERRORISM
The U.S. doesn’t just use bombs; it uses money as a weapon. This is the ‘Dollar Raj.’ Because the world must use the U.S. dollar to buy oil, Washington exerts a ‘Financial Veto’ over the global economy. Through the IMF and the World Bank, it imposes ‘Economic Shock Therapy’—forcing nations to sell off industries and gut social services to ensure American investors are paid first. In 2026, we see the U.S. threatening 100% tariffs on any nation attempting to trade in local currencies, a blatant form of Financial Colonialism.
This article examines the character of the United States—a nation that systematically uses the language of ‘democracy’ to justify the mechanics of war. To understand why the internal peace of sovereign nations is so fragile today, we must look at the historical ‘bully’ tactics used to protect American profits and power.
THE RUIN OF THE 21ST CENTURY: IRAQ, LIBYA, SYRIA AND VENEZUELA
In the 21st century, the U.S. continued to play a ‘dirty role’ under the banner of ‘Humanitarian Intervention.’ In Iraq, an invasion based on lies secured an oil hub. In Libya, Muammar Gaddafi was toppled for proposing an independent African currency, leaving behind a broken land of slave markets. In Syria, a decade of proxy funding ensured a perpetual war—all to keep the U.S. ‘imperialist stance’ strong. Venezuela is the latest example. After years of ‘Sanction Warfare’ that cratered the economy, U.S. forces captured the national leadership in a nighttime raid. Within hours, Washington promised that U.S. oil companies would ‘return to invest,’ exposing the true motive behind the ‘democracy’ rhetoric.
THE WHIMSICAL EMPIRE: THE TRUMP ERA AND GLOBAL DECAY
As of 2026, the ‘dirty role’ of the U.S. has taken on a more dangerous, whimsical character under President Trump. His ‘America First’ style of functioning has replaced international law with a volatile ‘Rule of the Bully.’ By withdrawing the U.S. from over 60 international organizations and threatening to annex territories like Greenland, he has signaled that treaties are mere suggestions.
This unpredictable style—where a trade deal can be scrapped for a headline or a military strike launched via a social media post—is causing irreparable damage. It isn’t just hurting America’s allies; it is destabilizing the global economy and pushing the world toward a ‘might-makes-right’ era. This ‘whimsical imperialism’ has turned the U.S. from a variable leader into a chaotic predator, forcing even its closest partners to hedge their bets and move away from American influence.
RENDERING THE UNITED NATIONS POWERLESS
Perhaps the greatest malpractice of the U.S. is its neutralization of the United Nations. Whenever the UN tries to pass a resolution against American interests, the U.S. uses its ‘Veto Power’ to stop it. Washington demands others follow international law but refuses to join the International Criminal Court. This hypocrisy has rendered the UN a paralyzed spectator as the ‘Global Predator’ writes its own rules for the world.
THE SEARCH FOR A FAIR WORLD
The history of this century is a record of calculated damage. In every corner of the globe, the U.S. has shown it values the ‘defense weapons market’ and ‘dollar hegemony’ over the lives of others. However, the ‘American Century’ is fading. With the rise of independent trade mechanisms and the world’s exhaustion with Washington’s whims, the predator is finally being isolated. The challenge for the future is to build a world where ‘freedom’ isn’t just a brand name for American greed, but a reality where sovereignty is truly respected.
Sudhir S. Raval is Consulting Editor at the ITV Network.