Who lost Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, Iraq? Why the enemy, of course. And who is that enemy? Us
After starting a war to find WMD's, depose a tyrant, and spread democracy, what have we got to show for it? Lots of democracies flowering in the poorer nations of the world. In Brazil, Venezuela, Chile; in Iran and (perhaps) in Iraq. But wherever democracy flourishes there is a rise in anti-americanism. Do we ask why? We could do that, but as Nixon said, it would be wrong. You might get answers you don't like. So instead we do what leaders of our democracy have often done in the past - we undermine democracy.
Too bad. If only we could pay more than lip service to democracy.
It is a disgrace that our far right leaders respect the outcome of an election only when our guy wins. If Chavez, Amadinijad, Hamas, Ortega or (to go back in history) Allende win, our rightists try and subvert the will of the people who voted these guys into office. We claim to want the spread of democracy, but we support any tyranny that is friendly to our interests, and oppose any elected head of state who pursues the interests of his own nation.
It's a cop out to spout the "one man, one vote, one time" argument when we are the ones who killed Allende, tried to kill Ortega and Chavez, undermine Hamas (instead of working with them and allowing the practical demands of governing to drive them to the center), etc.
The self-centered poicies of our rightist leaders are why the world hates us more and more. Chavez, Ortega etc. seem to respect democracy and their obligations to the democratic process and "the people" a lot more than North, Bush, and the far right have ever demonstrated in their actions.
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