Blind is the observer, sir, who seriously believes the Iraqi people have been 'liberated'. It hasn't to do with democracy but opening markets and controlling strategic positions and oil to further secure U.S. dominance. Also blind is the observer who has not recognized our guilt for many of the same atrocities.

Shallow is the observer who believes the more than 700 military bases in most of the world's recognized nations and other unspeakable 'black prisons' is some great force of benevolence and democracy.

Are we really so different? The west kills innocent civilians. The west practices assassinations, random kidnappings, terrorism, torture. The west supports and installs rightest dictators for strategic resource relations. The west even supported some of the most heinous terrorist organizations. The west even supports Saudi Arabia which by every account qualifies for "Islamic Fundamentalism" a multitude more than the former secular state of Iraq. The west even instills fear in its own people for political gain. We lost the moral high ground a long time ago.

Yes, I would say so. Of course it depends on what you mean by superior but ultimately I personally would rather live in a western style democracy than under Islamic Fundamentalism. But that doesn't mean western style democracy is superior to all other systems. And it certainly doesn't mean it's something to be forced upon another people with force. In fact it is an undemocratic act to force an ideology onto a people by force. Democracy must rise out of the middle east organically and fully self-determined. To grow democracy we must support a ground fertile for democratic ideals; and exacerbating tensions between Islamic sects, initiating war, and misrepresenting democracy by forcing it onto others while exploiting their land and resources certainly isn't doing that. It must reach through ideas and calm. Not through the sword and war. We loose the moral high ground and become no better than them if we follow the latter course.