Why Democracy?
Abstract
The United States-led endeavors in both Iraq and Afghanistan have yet to achieve success. The establishment of democracies in these newly free and fledgling states has been a stated goal of these efforts. This paper posits that the effect of Democratic Peace Theory, as it permeates our foreign policy and even our doctrine, has contributed to this problem by imposing the ill-advised requirement to establish democracy in shattered nations unprepared for such a grand social undertaking. The evolution and development of Democratic Peace Theory, what it is and why it is attractive, will be analyzed. The paper will then provide a description of how the theory has been woven into the fabric of American policy and actions abroad. With that established, attention will be turned to an analysis of the conditions in which true democracy can take hold, with a further analysis of these conditions with respect to Afghanistan and Iraq. The paper concludes that the United States should pursue a more limited goal than democracy in future regime changes. Limiting the end-state to something less than democracy will be far more achievable and far less costly.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 07, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA559870
Entities
People
- Kimo C. Gallahue
Organizations
- United States Army War College