Because the only other alternative to socio-political change, is extermination. Common sense and dignity require that you try it in that order first. There are no other alternatives beside those two when you're dealing with a culture that demands submission or death.
Is our presence in the middle east going to bring democracy?
Let's not kid ourselves here. The middle east has a long history of tyrants and dictators.
This is all they know. Besides, there will never be peace in the middle east, no matter how hard we want there to be.
If there not fighting the great satan or Britain, they are fighting another muslim country, if not that, they are fighting another tribe and so forth.
Rape, murder, disembowelment, hangings, dismemberment, beatings, torture. This is what you see on a daily basis in the middle east and it has been this way thousands of years.
Do we really believe that in a decade we are gonna change their culture? I think not.
Socio-political change is only as good as the next dictator.