A word to the wise.
Never, ever, compare what may well be a 'righteous crusade' against the evil of international terrorism with what many (even in the US) see as a grubby and self-interested intervention in Vietnam. Most Brits are profoundly grateful that we stayed out of that distasteful, unnecessary and ultimately humbling disaster.
I don't want to argue the whys and wherefores of Vietnam - but I'm sure that even you would agree that it is a controversial war, and not one ever likely to have been supported by all of your allies (much like our own intervention in Suez).
As to the unique nature of your beliefs - that may be true today - now that issues like handguns, pornography, drugs and airport security are seen as being primarily about individual freedom - but the ideas on which the Constitution and Bill of Rights were based came straight out of 17th and 18th Century France and England (where they were unable to influence government, except briefly!).
With regard to 'our wars' in which you became involved so graciously, weren't both about defending the freedoms which you're so keen to rabbit on about?
And it's debateable as to whether the outcome of the Great War was influenced much by US intervention. The second world war clearly was - though once Hitler attacked the USSR it's probable that a German victory was never possible. But you did save us decades of struggle and slaughter - while pursuing your own interests too - and Europe will always be grateful for that. But the prices which we respectively paid for the victory in 1945 give an idea of our respective contributions.
Casualties, 1939-45
USSR 31 million
China 11 million
Germany 7 million
Poland 6 million
Japan 1.8 million
Austria 525,000
Great Britain 388,000
USA 293,000
Australia 29,000
Canada 39,000
New Zealand 12,000
Sorry, no figures for France, nor for Britain's other Dominion and Empire nations - India, South Africa, etc.
But why argue. In equal partnership, America and the major European nations are the 'free world' and we could and should be doing good together. My original post was merely intended to reflect the fact that terrorism existed before last Tuesday, and that the fight against it will raise uncomfortable issues.
The issue of Israel is only one such question, to which may be added attitudes to the IRA, and historic episodes including US support for the Contras and the Bay of Pigs. The reason that Palestine is so important in this context is that US policy up to now has exacerbated the situation, and has even stimulated the terrorist forces that have now been unleashed. On moral and practical grounds, the US position on Israel must change.