Pitfalls of America’s Alliances with Authoritarian Regimes.

In the never ending quest to avoid bankrupting our liberty as well as our economy Perilous Partners by Ted Galen Carpenter and Malou Innocent studied the benefits and pitfalls of America’s Alliances with authoritarian regimes.  Sometimes our democratic values in “defense of vital interest requires making painful moral compromises.” Rather than be considered constant, interests need be re-assessed as conditions change to determine if truly vital.  For example Saudi Arabia has been a long time vital interest of the United States because of its petroleum and geographic assets. But now it’s geriatric monarchy tolerates a stew of conflicts gyrating toward a cataclysmic end.  Just as when the Shah of Iran fell, the blowback of supporting such a fractured vital interest leads to another implacable enemy and a garrison state at home