[Corby]

Europe was democratic before facism. The Middle East has never been democratic.

I've doubts democracy can work in that culture. Looks like a Wilsonian wormhole to me. Why are we worrying about democratizing people who have done nothing to gain it for themselves?

Kill the terrorists. If a government helps us do that, let them stay. If not, exterminate them and install a government that will support us.

I wouldn't spend one US soldier's live defending the voting rights of flag-burning Arabs. This war is about killing terrorists and protecting American democracy, not modernizing a backwards civilizations.

[Reader of news]

"Europe was democratic before facism. The Middle East has never been democratic."

Germany, the Eastern European countries and Japan had never been democratic.

"Why are we worrying about democratizing people who have done nothing to gain it for themselves?"

Because if those countries are democratic, safe and prosperous won't export hate and terrorism, but democracy, hope and prosperity. It is the one way to win the war on terror.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"Support for freedom fighters is self-defense. "

--Ronald Wilson Reagan, explaining the core conservative principle popularly known as "The Reagan Doctrine": State of the Union Address, 2/85.

[Bahbah]

"Europe was democratic before facism. The Middle East has never been democratic."

A very important point.