That one is so frustrating. Possibly because I am more comfortable with acting out of raw self-interest than most, but it has to be literally impossible (literal as in there might be a proof-level argument) for people to effect their own self interests if they use that tactic.
It makes sense that people don't want to take responsibility for their own country's actions. No biggy, we're none of us perfect and it is a good plan to stick together regardless. But if past policy led to a bad place, what is the path to a good place that doesn't involve acknowledging that?
The US's foreign policy muckups have consistently left it worse off. Alright. Bygones be bygone. Lotta resources wasted killing goat herders and witch hunts in foreign lands despite their being no witches. But does it not make sense to stop doing that at some point? The reason the US corporate media have lost all credibility in the internet era is that it is too obvious that this is a thing they do in coordination with each other.