Neocon Nuttiness

Hmmmm. It sure is trendy these days to dismiss the "neocon" position. This article reframes it as an argument for democracy. I was going to start this sentance "I guess what it comes down to..." but then I realized it doesn't really come down to any one thing. There are so many layers of viewing the geo-political world. One argument is what America's role ought to be: isolationist or expansionist. Should we promote our values, our economics, our political systems, or should we keep them to ourselves. Both views are rooted in our own self interest - is it too messy to promote and enforce our standards abroad? Too costly? Or, on the flip side, is it too costly to sit on the sideline, while countries head down the wrong path towards poverty and/or war and then genocide and famine?

And then there's another layer, that asks: well, how do we conduct ourselves. If we are isolationsists, and someone attacks our friend or us, what is our response? Do we go to the UN? Do we invade the other country? Do we fight a savage war? Or a do we fight a humanitarian war? Do we fight back at all?

Same on the other side: how do we promote democracy and freedom. Do we give money to countries? Do we depose autocratic rulers? Do we occupy other lands? When other countries do not come around to our way of life, do we cut off money? Do we impose sanctions?

Layers and layers, like an onion.