Democratic Peace Theory

[Eraserhead]

This is a bit beside the point of your discussion, but not entirely - the recent naked agression by the US against Iraq was a case of unprovoked attack of a 'dictatorship' by an ostensible democracy.  Food for thought.

Empires like ours, or the British one which preceded it often have a few elements of democracy, but this does nothing to reduce their habit of slaughtering and enslaving brownp eople.

Very true.