[joeclarke]

I view this topic in the obverse.

Cultures will all eventually evolve to reflect the fundamental freedoms enjoyed in the "western societies". All you have to do is give people access to information (unavoidable these days - no leader can limit access to information anymore), some appropriate examples and soft incentives (trade, etc.) and the rest will happen of its own accord.

That's where the US can really shine - leading by example. Not by trying to bomb people into the age of democracy.

Never really fired a shot in anger at the USSR did we? Nor did we in any tangible way threaten them into a democratic epiphany - that being your obvious argument for the case of the new found tractability of Mr Khadafi.