China now exports money.  Russia exports gas and oil.  The Netherlands sends millions of flowers abroad every day.  And, more than occasionally, America tries to export democracy.    The tension over sending democracy abroad has been measured in terms of George Washington’s pragmatism versus Woodrow Wilson’s idealism, the latter elevated to grander status by Jack Kennedy’s solemn commitment to “pay any price and bear any burden” to defend freedom and liberty. All modern American presidents have paid at least lip service to defending freedom and democracy and more than a few have threatened or gone to war to uphold those principles.  A searing question is with what effect?   For [...]

Since 1789, ambivalence over America’s international role and responsibilities has persisted.  This tension can be captured in terms of George Washington’s pragmatism not to seek permanent entanglements abroad and Woodrow Wilson’s idealism in fighting the “war to end all wars” to make “the world safe for democracy.”  Washington’s argument was amplified by John Adams’ warning against seeking foreign monsters to slay.  Unfortunately, presidents from John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush were deaf to such wisdom.   Americans have often been seduced or mesmerized by the siren-like call of aiding democracies and especially those pleading for help in establishing them.  Foreign wars that eventually would embroil America attracted [...]