Here's to double standards

It's funny that our US Imperial power-mongers can destroy countries in the name of democracy on a whim, but when the shoe is on the other foot, or when the foot gets placed in the mouth, messages we send get a little crossed.

In following the WikiLeaks saga and the tracking bits of information streaming out on independent news sources I came upon this on the Voice of America web site: US Diplomat: China Displays 'No Morals' in Africa

Basically, the takeaway is "A diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks quotes a senior U.S. official as saying China is acting aggressively and "without morals" in Africa."

"In the cable, Carson describes China as a "very aggressive and pernicious economic competitor." He adds that Beijing has "no morals" and "is not in Africa for altruistic reasons."

So, I guess it is OK for the US to wield destructive power in the name of economic superiority or chance of setting up its corporations with opportunities to make cheaper widgets and prolonging our cultural affluenza, but when someone else does it they are "without morals"? Because we are all convinced that the attack and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan is for "altruistic reasons", right..?