-The demonstration effect, we can and will destroy any government that -doesn't conform with US foreign policy goals of opening the world's -economies to foreign investment on foreign investors and international -credit agencies' terms.
And yet the US didn't invade Serbia or depose Milosevic. That was the population of Serbia itself and changes in policy have followed elections, not US occupation.
The US spent the 20th century proving it would destroy a whole range of governments for such purposes. What made Kosovo and Haiti interventions different is that instead of deposting democracies and installing dictatorships -- the typical US pattern in the 20th century -- dictatorships were taken out and popularly elected leaders came to power.
In a sense, they did set a pattern. When Bush invaded Iraq, he was under pressure from the beginning to hold elections, rather than just install a puppet backed by military occupation. So the demonstration effect went both ways.
-- Nathan Newman