Have a look at this commentary from the Fort Worth Star Telegram, guest-written by a Canadian.

I agree with much of what he says, but ultimately don't agree with his conclusions.

How those who know better can regard the United States as an evil empire when the weight of historical evidence shows such views are unwarranted is an intellectual obscenity.

He's right...it is an intellectual obscenity. The point isn't that the U.S. is beyond criticism. The point is that criticism, not tempered with credit, is hardly ever going to be listened to, and it shouldn't.

If all you ever hear is how shitty and awful you are, how would you respond? Certainly you do some things right, some of the time at least?

It's the imbalance that's offensive, not the criticism itself. Yes, the U.S. has made mistakes. We continue to make bad decisions. But guess what? We've done a lot of good too. We've been a strong ally to many other countries, economically, politically, and militarily.

And it's not that we don't respond well to criticism. We thrive on debate and the clash of ideas. But when we look around the world and see many other countries viewing us through a skewed lens, only able to see us as a malignant empire with their worst interests at heart, how are we to respond?

Sibley's answer:

So what should the United States do about this? The answer is: nothing. The fact is that nobody likes a hegemon. The city-states of ancient Greece objected to Athens' overlordship. The Roman imperium was hated by subjects even as they enjoyed the security provided by legionnaires fighting on the frontiers. Even the British Empire, which offered the most enlightened imperial rule ever seen, was often resented.

Now it is the turn of Americans to suffer the consequences of resentment and envy.

And no, I don't think that's the right way to think about it. We shouldn't do nothing. Much of the criticism is warranted. We need to be aware of it and always try to improve.

But we shouldn't let it consume us. We shouldn't let it define us. And we should continue to remind other countries, as well as ourselves, that we do many things right.