Reply #190: Just in the Middle East alone [View All]

[jeffuppy]

we support defacto dictators in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and all the Gulf states. None of these regimes would likely still be in power without our massive financial and military support over the last 35 years. The democratic cure (which in these cases would likely result anti-Western Islamic movements) would only be worse than the cure in the short run. In the longer run, self-determination would result in stability and serve U.S. interests. The same goes for countless brutal and undemocratic regimes worldwide. Of course the cure would certainly be worse than the disease for a large raft of corporate interests - not to mention all those Americans who value our consumptive lifestyle more than our stated values.