Jason S. (#20), and anyone else whom I may have inadvertently misled.
No, I do not think democracy is a “religion”. This is why I put that in quotes. That quip was to illustrate the messianic zeal with which the effort to promote regime changes in the middle east was pursued by many. This is in the tradition of Wilson & Carter, not that of traditional Republicanism. (And no, I’m not an isolationist).
It also has not ‘escaped my attention’ that democracies don’t fight each other. (From whence does your hostility come, BTW?) I agree that more democracies in the world is a good thing, and welcome the development when it occurs. But at best it is a fruit of good foreign policy, and generally beyond our mean to ensure. The American people have always supported befriending and supporting democracy, but only wish to guarantee our own.
I think that kind of realism – that we promote democracy but accept that our ability to create it is limited – will regain the support of the American people for the GOP in foreign policy.
