Guardian UK: The American way or the highway

[marmar]

The American way or the highway
Get ready, world. Managed mass democracy and market capitalism are coming. It'll be good for you. We promise

Michael Dougherty
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday September 16 2008 21:00 BST


Don't you dream of the day when Iraqis, South Ossetians or whoever - Africans? - can have the plenitude of blessings that democracy brings? I know I do. I have a dream that one day international media conglomerates will poll Iraqis in Anbar province on the latest "gaffe" of Nouri al-Maliki. Won't that be liberating? I dream of a Fox News affiliate in the Caucuses that informs the South Ossetians on what South Ossetians think of Mikhail Sakashvilli's neckwear choices. I wake up thinking: If these poor and variously swarthy mouth-breathers could get just a taste of Sarah Palin's Lipstickgate, they would understand the inferiority of totalitarianism.

That's why I'm so happy about the astounding and inspiring unity of purpose in foreign policy among America's two ruling parties. On the question of Georgia, both of America's ideological factions bravely committed themselves to democracy over the truth. In the centre-left New Republic, David Greenberg lamented: "Many liberals took pains to find fault on both sides, rather than focusing on Russian aggression." The centre-right pundit Robert Kagan said it better: "The details of who did what to precipitate Russia's war against Georgia are not very important. Do you recall the precise details of the Sudeten Crisis that led to Nazi Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia? Of course not." That's right. Don't let the facts confuse you, just remember Hitler. Now, let's roll!

This unity reaches up to presidential politics and extends to the Middle East. Bush, after declaring near-victory in Iraq, announced a 5% reduction of American forces there. "USA! USA!" He then proposed a "quiet surge" in Afghanistan. So Barack Obama called for a much louder one. "It is not enough troops, and not enough resources, with not enough urgency," the "anti-war" Obama says. Right on, Barack! What's a surge without a sense of urgency?

...(snip)...

Sometimes the "hidden hand" of the free economy feels a little … violating, I know. But that's just its adolescent fumbling. Your inhibitions - or local economy - need to be dropped. Take a deep breath. If it hurts, just lie back and think of England. Or take this pill. We're going to do a little role-playing here. It'll be kinky. I'll be America, and I'll start: "Now, open your markets, bitch! I'm going to liberate you so hard." .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/sep/16/usforeignpolicy.republicans