As are Canada and Australia who were founded and grew in essentially the same fashion at approximately the same time. Wonder what we three countries have in common?

Yes, the US has traditionally managed South America and the Caribbean as US territories. The Monroe Doctrine had the silent "except for us" tacked on the end. And Lord knows we kept the Shah in power in a most immoral way and no need to speak of the Saudis quite independent of the party in power or the British setting them up in power in the first place. Isn't "Sphere of Influence" a British term? Churchill, right? He certainly knew what Stalin was up to. The US tried to reject the idea in our idealism after WW II, but we weren't very successful at it.

Still, the US is earnest in wanting stability in the region and a quick trip home. No one, domestic or international, would tolerate Iraq as the 51st state. And we're quite happy to pay for the oil we get even if we have to compete with the French and Russians to get it. That's just ordinary business as usual.