Reply #13: His whole premise is based on the concept that the ends justify

[RaleighNCDUer]

the means.

I can't accept that. Maybe we are reaching a tipping point, and in a few years all good Arabs will be democrats, except the rich ones who will be republicans, and we could drive from the Mediterranean to Burma without stumbling across a single dictator, but you know what?

The ends don't justify the means.

Means of agressive war will poison every one of those new democracies. Much like the poisoned democracy of Weimar after 1918. And use of those means, if successful, particularly if successful, will encourage the use of those means again and again, and each use will poison more nations against us.

I don't care if the Iraqis copy our constitution word for word, and they have 90% turn out on the vote. I guarantee, it won't last. If it is not something they do for themselves, without American guns at their backs, there will be movements to overthrow whatever government goes in, right from the git go.

Of course, if they do it without American guns, then it will be the Americans behind those movements.