This awoke the sort of complicated thinking about what the politicians seem to think is the US view of its historical place, the "left's" somewhat simplified view of the US, the Bigger Bully theory, and why imperialism has always been a Really Bad Idea.

Which turned into a Mandelbrot diagram in very short order.

I suspect the "left" can see the Biggest Bully aspect, but they think the Biggest Bully can be moved by an appeal to conscience. And then the analogies fall down and I need to write this out, don't I?

That assassination makes the USA like the Mafia or the drug cartels. That's what it does.