The problem is, most countries in the world aren't democracies, and so their governments aren't accountable to their own people or anyone else. America armed itself first so that foreign dictatorships can't control us. You also realize, right, that American naval dominance is what allows peaceful international trade. Without American naval dominance, everyone on Earth would be poorer because trade makes everyone better off. Even though Communist China now has more ships, their navy still can't police the oceans. And America helps keep our democratic allies armed as well: Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, they all are stronger with American support. All of your stuff about accountability and never having to say you're sorry - That's true only if the rest of the world is democratic, but it isn't. The American tradition is one in which good people protect the weak with superior weaponry, and as many Americans are armed as possible in order to be strong. As usual, you're drawing false moral equivalencies between America and Russia/China. America is significantly less bad, and that's something that's worth protecting and dying for.