[wisemanwillhear]

> The United States' belief that its laws apply to everyone in the world is one of the most insidious ideas of our modern world.

That's not a modern thing. Countries with power use that power to get what they want, whether through military force or though other forms of influence and/or coercion. The Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, etc.--pretty much every country with military or economic power over other countries.