American Exceptionalism & Neo-Neocons: Fukuyama's Assessment

In After the Neocons: America at the Crossroads, author Francis Fukuyama, an ex-Neocon, details his reasons for quitting the movement of neo-cons because it has been baptised in the image of policies of Bush's administration - a derivative operation with which he can no longer associate himself.

My concern today is with a chapter on American Exceptionalism in post-Iraq scenario. He not only shows how Amerika came to this point, but also traces roots to resentfulness of world - European & Asian (needless to highlight Islamic world here) - towards this self-perceived wise course of action. Looking at how America came to believe in the illusion that it was wise enough to exercise unilateral action without any external check or permissions (as to where to bomb and where to not, as per Powell), smacks of haughtiness, because once they came to know that Russia won't intercept to stop them, they accepted the license to bully anyone they wanted.

Briefly, as per FF, there are two main reasons that can explain American exceptionalism and associated resentfulness and new wave of anti-Amerikanism in both Muslims world and Europe:

1. Winning cold war and victorious ventures in Middle East

2. Imposing dogmatic policies of American economic liberalization programs that severely backfired and destroyed economies in many places

3. Unilateral action against Iraq in 2004

4. Poor communication in conveying following dictum: Either you're with us or against us. This wasn't against European audience, "independent nations." Rather. Against "irresponsible," terrorist-harboring states like Pakistan and Yemen.

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In any case, haughtiness of Amerikan regime reached it climax in Iraq war. Pakistan had nothing to gain except losses from following Amerikan economic advice (IMF loans, structural adjustments, etc.) and going into war of terror. I do need to study much more about those critical days of 2001 to arrive at a more or less scholarly judgement.