Quote Originally Posted by Subotan View Post
I think the US wants whatever keeps the US secure, and the US recognises that stable democracies abroad naturally serve US interests the most. It's a win-win situation, but the US is very prepared to jettison democracy when it is unfeasible or contrary to US interests.
I suppose that's where we differ. You think that democracy is prime, but is neccesarily subordinated for US interests. I think that US interests are prime, and democracy is just a happy and occasional bi-product.

Quote Originally Posted by Fragony View Post
Was more a musing than a point mind you, but I think it all comes down to nation-states interacting. We aid minorities if a hostile nation-state needs to be disrupted and vica versa when it isn't hostile. Don't think particular ideologies come first, just politics. Democracy in the middle-east is clanwars 2.0 anyway, way too complex. Way to corrupt as well it's basicly begging them to flock with their own
In societies without robust political and democratic institutions, people rely on a network of family, ethnic, tribal, geographic and other institutional influences to affect changes in their lives. This isn't a peculiarity of the middle east, it's just a necessary political strategy for societies with this level of political development.