I have no problem with Ann Coulter’s shriek, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.” Obviously, the “conversion to Christianity” means inculcation of certain Western values, and “killing” can be harmlessly replaced by just “ousting”. This hysterical screech is in fact a half-crazed expression of a certain interventionist program that I sympathize with, although I realize it must be impracticable and doomed.
If President Bush had put his rationale for the Iraqi invasion in similar, if milder, terms; if he had called for support on the whole Western world; if he had linked the need for the war with a new Burden of the West, it would have had been so much more impressive than his lame references to semi-mythical WMDs. He might not have elicited more support that he actually did, but he would have shown urbi et orbi where he stands from the start.
I don’t think the burden befits the beast, though.