That's half the trouble, Bill, you don't see how the US behaves internationally. Self-righteous beyond belief, to the point where it drives anyone else who happens to believe in themselves, like most of the Arabic world, utterly potty. How can you be believed when the immediate consequence of this is that you're far more dangerous to yourselves than your worst enemies are?
Answer: you can't, which encourages the Islamic fundamentalists of every ilk no end. Which has much the same effect. Most of us know we can get it wrong and allow accordingly.