[atlasunshrugged]

I don't think anyone is arguing that many nations, including democracies like the U.S., are infallible and haven't done awful things in the past (and probably are doing some awful things now and probably will in the future), but I can tell you that I would much rather live in a world where the U.S. and countries with similar democratic values and at least some measure of accountability have the tools needed to stand up to dictatorships and authoritarianism. We can see how bad those societies are not just for the people that live under them (ex. however flawed the American political system, I appreciate being able to have a real choice when I vote instead of a phony election), but for how they try to force their will on the rest of the world (Russia in Ukraine being the most obvious example). I hate that we need weapons and force to protect our values, I really do, but I just don't see any real alternative to being able and willing to fight when necessary.