Americans have historically asserted that our foreign policies should

A) focus on the interests of the United States at the expense of all other nations.
B) focus on the interests of other nations at the expense of our own personal interests.
C) have a higher purpose than the pursuit of our own interests and use force only as A last resort.
D) focus on working with the United Nations to promote democracy around the world.

This has been a common sentiment expressed in American foreign policy, particularly in the post-World War II era. It is often referred to as "American exceptionalism" and suggests that the United States has a responsibility to promote democracy and human rights around the world, even if it may not be in our immediate self-interest. The use of force is seen as a last resort and diplomacy and cooperation with other nations and international organizations is emphasized.