This speech by Charles Krauthammer is the subject of much discussion and critique in the blogosphere. I think it is well worth reading, as it lays out what Rick might call a "neocon" vision of foreign policy -- one that may be very influential in the years to come if GW is elected to a second term. See for yourself by comparing to the now famous Whitehall speech, one of Bush's best (Bush has great speechwriters; his speeches come across much better on the writen page than while having to endure his verbal tics).

SHDemocratic Globalism just seems like a variation of Liberal Internationalism. Instead of reigning in the world via democratic international institutions, we are going to reign in the world by transforming contries that "count" into democracies. Same moral underpinning shined with a veener of practicality ("they will stop hating us"). What's missing from both is is a true cost benefit analysis. Why do we spend $1 trillion (so far) converting Iraq into whatever it currently is? In Iraq, the Realists and Liberal Internationalists have the better aproach, especially because building a democracy over there is an ontological endevor. Realist would've eliminated Saddam cheap and fast and just put a friendly thug in power or liberals and Geroge the Senior would've enlisted a coalition that would've actually paid for the effort (as opposed to us paying them, as we did with many "partners"). The man says we have a commercial empire, so lets make money like Bush Senior did. This unilateral nation buidling crap just costs way too much.