Cowardly? Up to debate. I think this is more an issue of sensitivity and over awareness of the deleterious effects of Western colonization of Africa, Central America, South America, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia.
If you take the contrary, where the West says, "Fuck you Pakistan and Angola, you have your independence, take some personal responsibility and stop blaming us for problems 40 years ago!" You will have everlasting enmity between the West and the rest.
By West, I mean North America, significant portions of Central and South America, and Europe.
Honestly, the USA today is making up for the mistakes of Europe. Europe colonized and divided Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia into the countries with the boundaries they have today. Since the USA is the super power, we are the one who gets the blame even if we did not cause the situation.
You want an example of the USA taking the blame for failed European policies? The Brits doing to the Middle East after World War 1 whose ramification are still being felt today. In particular, fostering the zionist movement and encouraging them to resettle in what was known as Palestine at the time. After World War 2, the trickle of Jews to Palestine became a flood until Israel was recognized as an independent state in 1948.
Taking the blame goes with the turf of empire, superpower or whatever term people call the most powerful country of contemporary times. I hold no bitterness, dislike or disgust towards any European country or peoples.
All I ask for as a US citizen is to read your history and judge the actions of my country less harshly when we are helping clean up a mess your ancestors started.
All of this makes me wish for a 21st century Monroe Doctrine.
