[homeagain balkansvet]

History largely IS bad guys fighting bad guys. All you can ask for most of the time is that the less bad guys win.

I exempt ourselves, unashamedly. We ARE the Good Guys. Except maybe in Mexico, 1845. That one is still a little hard to explain.

[jammer]

And maybe the Spanish American war. I see your point, and agree with much, but am not entirely persuaded that "cowboy" as we mean it describes either side in the wars you cited. In the spirit of friendship, let's agree to disagree about that "Norman bastard", from whom I'm descended. :)