[hermit22]

sm, you raise an interesting question; but I don't think it can be valid in a state that isn't a democracy, or of some other form where the people (theoretically) are in charge. Here, we can be upset and refuse to involve ourselves in a myriad of social issues, on whatever side of the aisle you fall, but things aren't so cut and dry in a dictatorship.

Also, I think the discussion about democracy in the middle east is completely accurate. Democracy cannot come about from the outside; it has to be nurtured from within. Iran is heading this direction, and so is Bahrain - not through Western intervention, but by a slow process of liberalization. In fact, Bahrain just had their first real elections last October, and they are officially a constitutional monarchy like the UK.

Things were entirely different in Japan. They were a beaten people, and they knew it. They had just lost an entire generation of their soldiers fighting to extend their empire - and suddenly, they were forced back to their own islands. Complete and utter defeat, especially from such a great height, is a sobering experience that makes you realize your shortcomings. I find it hard to believe that a) our leaders will have the political balls to defeat the Iraqis the way the Japanese were and b) that the culture will allow the same usurpation that the Japanese culture did.