Resolved: That the United States should intervene in another nation's struggle for democracy.

1. When do you expect us to be able to route Al Qaeda (and the Taliban) out of the FATA region (another 9 years?)? And how much longer would it take to reform Karzai and his corrupt government into a true democracy, with major transgressions being if he violates human rights instead of if he supports the Taliban? How much do you think we will spend (another trillion?)? 2. How do monumental costs and long years spent not outweigh merely speculative benefits from democracy promotion? Whether or not there are plans to cut down the national debt, the government would still have to borrow money for war. Would this not raise the national debt, and thus our tax and inflation rates [1], and eventually lead to another global recession? 3. "The US leaving the world stage is very different than a policeman dying...His example would make sense if there was one police station and everyone got slaughtered and no one else could take up the role as efficiently." First, you got my analogy wrong. The hypothetical situation you were talking about would compare to a department head getting fired, not killed. This department head can come back and resume his/her policies any day. Second, explain your analogy. Which "one police station" are you talking about? There are over 20 countries one can turn to for aid. Who's the "everyone" that "got slaughtered"? Certainly you are not talking about our allies who can fend for themselves or people under today's autocracies. If a country's leader wanted to slaughter his own people, the US wouldn't lift a finger to stop him. Rwanda and Sudan prove this point all too clearly. "No one else could take up the role as efficiently"? If our allies spent more on their armed forces, they would be just as "efficient" as us. We spend more than the countries in 2nd, 3rd, ..., 10th place (for military spending) combined on our military, and that's probably the main reason why we are a superpower. 4. Please explain how Iran will get regional hegemony in the Middle East upon US departure. They are not as strong militarily as the US, so they wouldn't dare mess with our allies in the Middle East because they know that we would send troops and crush their forces. 5. We are keeping a corrupt leader in power, why would the Afghans not want us out? 6. Hindering the program would be equivalent to admitting to the charge that Iran was building nuclear weapons. Whether or not Iran's leader really is building nuclear weapons, he would want to have the West think that he wasn't, wouldn't he? Instead of asking or things that would hinder his program, why not ask for things that would bring more peace in the region, such as a reconciliation with Israel? 7. "Allies are needed to prevent safe havens. Democracy ... gives the US an ideological ally in the Middle East." What guarantee do you have that they would automatically become our ally? All our allies are allies from the two world wars and the Cold War. Is it that democratic governments want to be our allies, or pure coincidence that all our allies (at least the official ones) happen to have democratic governments? 8. "You can vote Pro. He has admitted that the US can intervene when asked." Can intervene does not mean should intervene. All wars are expensive and intervention eventually leads to war. Should the US really spend tons of money on war instead of domestic improvements such as universal health care? Can the US really afford another possible Great Recession? Shouldn't the US pay off some of its national debt before involving itself in the affairs of others? 9. "I would like my opponent to give an example of a good and desirable autocracy." Julius Caesar wouldn't be a good emperor (in Rome's opinion)? Alexander the Great was not a good autocrat? To give a more recent example, didn't the Americans want George Washington to be king after the revolution? 10. How does democracy help to promote economic development and education reform, and what connection do education and fiscal security have with terrorism? How does absence of freedom of religion fuel extremist and terrorist activity? Do individual terrorists come just from the Middle East or are there a few Americans involved in terrorist bombings as well? What does your answer say about your argument that terrorism arises from lack of education and money? 11. Is it democracy that promotes free trade, free market, and equity, or capitalism? The two may seem synonymous but they are not. Is it democracies have a vested interest in free trade, or capitalist societies? 12. The definitions (reference.com) for hegemony and imperialism are as follows: hegemony: leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, imperialism: the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries. In what way is US hegemony (or imperialism) necessary to solve terrorism, instability, and nuclear proliferation? Are you suggesting that Middle Eastern states can't govern themselves and need the West to bring civilization to them (Europe used the same excuse for imperializing Africa)? 13. "We probably will succeed since we are the world's hegemon." Didn't we say the same thing when we entered Vietnam? Is another failure (probably Afghanistan) worth 9 years of our time and a trillion dollars? Sources: [1] http://www.nodebttoday.com...