In the glory days following Mr Nice Guys' victory in the gulf war, Peter Snow interviewed the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, General Colin Powell, for the BBC's Newsnight.

Snow began by asking:

"Do you now regard the United States as the world's policeman?"

The general, softly lit from behind, his ribbons marching down his chest, smiled sagely.

"Sir.......what we provide is a presence. A stablising influence. You see, we have the power that people tend to trust."

John Pilger - Hidden Agendas