Like Newt Gingrich’s recent awakening, I’m not sure that promoting democracy in all regions of the world is in our interests. The best way to promote something to others is to live life with values that the rest of the world wants for themselves.
Democracy as a form of government is one of the worst forms of government. The Founders knew well from the history of western civilization that democracy fails and ends in tyranny because a totalitarian government is viewed erroneously as capable of rectifying errors generated by democratic societies.
In simpleton terms, democracy is pictured as two wolves and a chicken discussing what’s for dinner. Tyranny occurs when the wolf that kills the chicken for its food won’t share with the other wolf. Fortunately, for our America, the chicken has a gun, at least for now.
The US is a republic meaning it is governed by rule of law but it elections are democratic and it’s ruling components are democratic but limited.
So I would not be with Cruz on some notion of speeding up democratic reforms.
If Obama was to do to America what Morsi did to Egypt, I would support his removal from our government and after things were settled and Obama was removed I would support an Article V effort to propose amendments to the Constitution for the purpose of preventing an Obama-like totalitarian coup for future generations.
It really boils down to what side we choose to be on and unfortunately everyone must choose.
In Egypt, if I was in Egypt, I would side with traditionalists there and not those that push for Sharia.
In America, I would side with traditionalists and not those that have been pushing Socialism and Homosexuality.
Perhaps Cruz would have done better by stating that American humanitarian aid should be sent to Egypt under conditions that would ensure with high probability that the aid would reach its intended recipients.
You have Barry Goldwater in your corner.
Fifty years ago, the UN and the American Foreign Policy Community had an absolute mania for decolonizing Africa and other parts of the world. Goldwater called this a fool's errand. He pointed out that some people aren't ready for democracy, and for cultural and religious reasons, they may never be ready. He saw that the mania for democratization would only create a playground for the CIA and KGB. He argued for a hard-nosed approach where it might be best for a nation to be ruled by a benevolent dictator, one preferably loyal to the US, not the Soviet Union.
He was excoriated by the Mainstream Media for this "wrong-headed thinking" and "unprogressive" approach. But history proved him right. Islam will have to go through something like the Enlightenment before it can support democracy.