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Argument: Democratic populations are not more aware of the costs of war

Issue Report: Democratic peace theory

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James Bovard. “The Democratic-Peace Fraud”. The Future of Freedom Foundation. 23 May 2008 – The democratic-peace theory presumes that citizens are keenly aware of the potential costs, in blood and treasure, of their nation’s plunging into conflicts. However, nowadays, most Americans’ primary experience of war is as something to alleviate the boredom during the off-season of their favorite sport. War is now free moral glory, a no-cost way to be a part of Bush’s effort to save the world. As long as people attach a “Support Our Troops” sticker to their SUVs, their sacrifice is sufficient. Thanks to massive deficit financing, no American has paid an extra dime in taxes to cover the $400+ billion the U.S. government has already spent in Iraq. The cost of Bush’s war simply does not exist in the minds of most Americans.