Comments on: The Bush Doctrine http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-bush-doctrine n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:25:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Deep Thoughts http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/comment-page-1/#comment-27213 Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Deep Thoughts Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:01:31 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/#comment-27213 [...] See also, Sarah Palin and the Bush Doctrine. [...] [...] See also, Sarah Palin and the Bush Doctrine. [...]

]]> By: Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » At What Point Will She Shoulder Some Blame? http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/comment-page-1/#comment-26126 Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » At What Point Will She Shoulder Some Blame? Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:18:30 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/#comment-26126 [...] better description of the Bush doctrine (and, in fact, “conservative intellectuals” in fact prostituted themselves out to provide Palin cover for her gaffe). George Bush and the “conservative intellectuals” didn’t tell Palin to say all [...] [...] better description of the Bush doctrine (and, in fact, “conservative intellectuals” in fact prostituted themselves out to provide Palin cover for her gaffe). George Bush and the “conservative intellectuals” didn’t tell Palin to say all [...]

]]> By: Daniel Larison http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/comment-page-1/#comment-13944 Daniel Larison Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:08:04 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/#comment-13944 That is part of the more peaceful assumption, but it is also wrong. "Facts" aren't facts when your "facts" aren't true. Democracies have gone and do go to war with each other, and there is nothing in democratic government that makes states more peaceful. On the contrary, democracies are driven by national and popular passions that sometimes take them into wars other regimes would not wage, and they have tended to engage in longer and more total wars when they do fight because the respective electorates usually do not tolerate surrender from their leaders. They may not have done so much fighting with one another lately, but there have been so few states with such a form of government that it is extremely difficult to generalize about what democracies do. That is part of the more peaceful assumption, but it is also wrong. “Facts” aren’t facts when your “facts” aren’t true. Democracies have gone and do go to war with each other, and there is nothing in democratic government that makes states more peaceful. On the contrary, democracies are driven by national and popular passions that sometimes take them into wars other regimes would not wage, and they have tended to engage in longer and more total wars when they do fight because the respective electorates usually do not tolerate surrender from their leaders. They may not have done so much fighting with one another lately, but there have been so few states with such a form of government that it is extremely difficult to generalize about what democracies do.

]]> By: nathansmith http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/comment-page-1/#comment-13940 nathansmith Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:15:55 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/12/the-bush-doctrine/#comment-13940 "What is often linked to the Bush Doctrine, but which is not necessarily part of it, is the democracy promotion element of the so-called 'freedom agenda,' which holds that democratic governments are inherently more peaceful, less likely to sponsor or harbor terrorists and more likely to maintain good relations with the United States, so that there is a national security interest in promoting democracy. None of these propositions is true, but that has been the rhetoric." Not exactly. The premise of the freedom agenda is that democracies do not go to war with each other, which is probably the most striking regularity in international relations. To those who equate realism with amoralism, the 'democratic peace' is like fingernails on a blackboard. But facts is facts. “What is often linked to the Bush Doctrine, but which is not necessarily part of it, is the democracy promotion element of the so-called ‘freedom agenda,’ which holds that democratic governments are inherently more peaceful, less likely to sponsor or harbor terrorists and more likely to maintain good relations with the United States, so that there is a national security interest in promoting democracy. None of these propositions is true, but that has been the rhetoric.”

Not exactly. The premise of the freedom agenda is that democracies do not go to war with each other, which is probably the most striking regularity in international relations. To those who equate realism with amoralism, the ‘democratic peace’ is like fingernails on a blackboard. But facts is facts.

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