>If I understand you correctly, the U.S. foreign policy has nothing to do with the security of this nation and the future of democracy, but simply a means of putting $ into the pockets of big business?

Oh Tracy :)
Of course it does! - It reduces your security drastically! (And of other countries to)
Now since they already do that, they might as well make some odd buck on the side, to make up for it. <g>

Future of democracy ?!? Huh, not realy much to aspire here... most of them (Ancient Greek, Rome, French) ended up in flames/misery.
They will more likely stick with making money as prefered agenda :0)