Core take aways
Our record of achievement of helping to consolidate democracy after military intervention is not impressive (4 for 17, by my count). To make clear that military force should never be conflated with democracy promotion, every National Security Strategy written by future American presidents should clearly state that we will not use our armed forces for regime change.”
Excerpt from AUTOCRATS VS DEMOCRATS:
“Despite the myths propagated by our adversaries, the United States has rarely used military force to promote democracy.
Apart from the U.S. intervention in Panama, every use of American military force was initiated to pursue security objectives, including even Iraq in 2003.
It was only after using force in the pursuit of security objectives that American presidents pursued democratic development, including in Germany, Japan, Afghanistan, or Iraq. Our record of achievement of helping to consolidate democracy after military intervention is not impressive (4 for 17, by my count).
To make clear that military force should never be conflated with democracy promotion, every National Security Strategy written by future American presidents should clearly state that we will not use our armed forces for regime change.”
