You are right...and the point isn't lost on us! We are seen as a big piggy bank. We need to separate the people who trully share our ideals and values from the ones who simply want our money. We are also accused of doing terrible things with our power. The irony is that we are one of the kindest and most generous countries around. The world would know it if we were trully as evil as we are accused of being.
Hmmm.... that gives me an idea... maybe we, as a nation, should become as evil as the world thinks we are, then when they really get riled up and such, we can say, "Ok... maybe you'd like us to go back to the way we were before? And this time, you'll quit the bitchin'?" ;0)