> Sam wrote: > So if the individual nations get rid of the corrupt > tyrants and let people prosper, the radicals teaching hate will lose > their audience and we'll all get along. >
So I find this interesting because I had said that one of the tenants of Neo-conservatism was democratic imperialism, which is exactly what you just described, but what you told me earlier was "my fantasy". Either way, here are the problems with that policy: (1.) Who are the "individual nations" that need democratic imperialism? Iraq and Iran? Or do we include Syria? Libya? We've got to define that on a global scale and then at least be consistent. We haven't. (2.) We haven't because we can't treat all of those nations consistently because we don't have the resources. This means we've got to discriminate between nations and prioritize. In this case we've chosen Iraq for our first Democratic Imperialist campaign. This makes us look unfair and downright weak and stupid when a country like Iran comes along and openly taunts us. (3.) Because we don't have the resources to wage a consistent democratic imperialist campaign against all nations with dictators, we'd need ally support. We don't have it. What this has done is embolden those dictator nations that we didn't invade. They know we've got one foot in the bear trap. In a nutshell the problem is that we don't have the resources to equally apply it and our allies don't support us. This violates the first law of child psychology: if you're going to punish one kid for running with scissors, you've got to punish them all. If you don't, you look unfair, you lose respect, you lose moral authority, and you become the oppressor rather than the liberator. Ask any child. At this point the law of unintended consequences takes over: the people you intended to win over end up hating you. The countries you though would fall to your domino gain a stronger hold on their people. Your diplomatic power plummets as you showcase your weaknesses - both military and with your allies. And then you lose. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:207313 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
