Actually, Poppa, I believe the US invasion of the Phillipines was similarly pre-emptive.
But basically, the rough-shod unilateralism, the going-it-alone-cowboy approach, the quickdraw militarism and the overall gloss of deception and dishonesty are what make other nations look at the United States as a loose cannon. That's a real drop in standing in the international community from being the bright hope for freedom around the world.