Rice-a-Phony Democracy

Condaleeza Rice at the American University of Cairo, before meeting with Egyptian leaders today to press them for free elections in Egypt (listen on NPR):

For 60 years, my country, the United States, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region, here in the Middle East, and we achieved neither. Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people.

Throughout the Middle East the fear of free of choices can no longer justify the denial of liberty. It is time to abandon the excuses that are made to avoid the hard work of democracy.

Well, first of all, it's a flat out lie that the United States gave a sh** for democracy in the Middle East anywhere. To the contrary, dictatorships have always been the favorite friends of the United States.

After the speech, Rice said she wouldn't meet with the largest political group in Egypt, The Muslim Brotherhood, because it is banned from politics by the Egyptian government. In fact, all Islamic political parties are banned in Egypt.

Wow! What a courageous stand for democracy!

So...why are soldiers dying in Iraq? For democracy? Why is "democracy" so much more important in Iraq than in Egypt, or elsewhere? If the Secretary of State can't even speak up for democracy in Egypt, why should soldiers be dying for it in Iraq?