We are protecting Taiwan from coersion or invasion as we have for years.We are just not ready to go to full out war with China over a leader's reelection campaign propositions.
I believe the attempts at democracy in Iraq will fail. The problem is that muslims have no clue what freedom means. The islamic worldview is not conducive to freedom. Freedom in America (one of the few examples in history of true freedom) is based on the premise that God made the world for the individual, not the group or majority or State. In virtually all other forms of government, the premise is that the individual is not that important, he is a cog in the greater machinery of the State. The miracle of a free constitutional republic in America is the direct result of the judeo-christian worldview of our founding fathers.
For the most fundamental reasons, I do not believe freedom is possible in any muslim country - never has existed to this day. I predict Iraq will end up with some sort of theocracy or semi-theocracy.
Most people today do not understand freedom at all because they do not have the worldview to understand it. Freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ. "...Where the Spirit of the Lord, there is Freedom." 2cor.3:17