In order to bring a nation to support the burdens of maintaining great military establishments, it is necessary to create an emotional state akin to war psychology. There must be the portrayal of external menace. -- John Foster Dulles (HT2 LRC)
WW2 followed immediately by the Cold War addicted the American population to the adrenaline (and spending patterns) of the war psychology. Large parts of the population feel no sense of purpose (and may not have a job) if they don't have an existential external threat. This then becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, as the actions of a proud, boastful and fearful people directing half of the world's military spending will be antagonistic and scary to much of the rest of the planet.
The treatment by the US of Putin, who was dangerously (to himself) pro-US early on, demonstrates how this plays out over time.
Here is a very interesting interview by Scott Horton with Boyd Cathey (scholar and assistant to the eminent conservative author Russell Kirk).
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