I’ve wondered if democracies must necessarily be strategically weak just by the nature of changing leadership and also due to the same inward focus that enables them eventually to discover they can vote themselves the national treasury.
It might be necessary to conclusively deal with one’s enemies, but sometimes they vote not to do so...just because...
Good observation. The lazy, looting (Socialism Is Legal Plunder) and living large secular totalitarians vs. 1400 year religious/sarc totalitarians. They run on parallel tracks. The strong horse is still around. The also rans have folded/broken down/been shot throughout history.