Ratman

This post at The Diplomad (rapidly becoming a favorite stop of mine) makes a perceptive analogy. Many countries, particularly in Europe, want the US to be the rat-catcher of the world: they call on us to get rid of the pests, but they feel free to despise us and criticize us for our "cruelty" and general lack of refinement.

A few years ago, the catchphrase was, "America cannot be the world's policeman." I suppose we'll have to settle for the title of exterminator.