The Americans have always half-assed their empire, because Americans don't really like empires.

Because most of us never wanted to be an empire. Going out and fighting these wars and "humanitarian projects" in every fucking nation of the world is never on the ballot, and its usually not even part of the campaign for the guys on the ballot.

90% of it is done by organizations without any oversight like the CIA and unelected losers like John Bolton that hold enough dirt to never be kicked out of their positions.

So its always been these guys pushing these massively destructive moves against the wishes of nearly every fucking American across both sides, and then being forced to half ass it when magically its not popular and every politician has to run on pulling out of it.