Originally Posted by cmac2012

Planning for defense, in the real sense of the word, is always wise. Some of that would involve knowing about the country so we could invade after they attacked us.

But believing we could pre-emptively invade, "surgically" turn a few nuts, adjust a few gears, and change the regime to something everyone would be much more happy with (we're good at that sort of thing), and what's more, actively planning for exactly that is some kind of imperialism, isn't it?