The U.S., of course, is firmly committed to spreading democracy to wherever it is not. To wherever peoples are oppressed, and cry out with desperate courage for freedom. In fact, we are pretty much the poster boys for spreading democracy. If it wasn’t free-market blasphemy, it might almost be said that we have cornered the market on democracy, the spread thereof.

I flash you back to January 2005. George Bush has just been re-elected, by a razor-thin landslide. In the first flush of exultation at his overwhelming mandate, Bush boldly articulates his vision of America’s role in the world:

President Bush opened his second term Thursday with a promise to the people of the United States and the world — vowing to promote democracy both at home and abroad.

“It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world,” Bush said in his inaugural address after his swearing-in ceremony.

That, as they say, was then. Over to BBC for the now:

Burma’s largest anti-government protest in nearly two decades has taken place in the former capital Rangoon, led by Buddhist monks and nuns.

Up to 20,000 people took to the streets on the seventh day of protests calling for an end to the “evil dictatorship”.
[...]
Speaking on the sidelines of a UN meeting, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said America was “watching very carefully” the protests and denounced Burma’s “brutal regime”.

“The Burmese people deserve better. They deserve the right to be able to live in freedom, just as everyone does.”

Yes, they are very deserving. But we’re kind of busy? Besides, they don’t have oil?

And so we send them our best, our most sincere, regards. And watch very carefully.

What’s with all the looking and watching? They ever actually do anything in the State Dept? Constructive, I mean?