Can You Build A Democracy By Lying And Cheating (And Incredible Senseless Violence)?

OK, the phrase in parentheses in the headline is mine, but the rest is from Mark Goldman in a piece entitled, "To Surge Or Not To Surge", and IMHO, it's worth a read on the subject of Iraq and America's involvement there:

None of the talking heads in the US media or government are addressing the central issue, which is this: can you build, keep, and/or inspire democracy in a first world country, or in a third world country, by lying to and cheating its people or by undermining its Constitution and the rule of law?