QOTD

Norm Geras:

[Some progressives] are generally favourable to state intervention . . . because this is democracy at work, with the interests of the people being asserted through government provision of health, education and a host of other things. But when it comes to defence and foreign policy, democracy and the interests of the people line up differently; for now government, our government, no longer stands for these things. Rather, it is the vehicle of imperialism, neo-imperialism, Western arrogance, cultural supremacy -- lined up now against the popular interests of oppressed peoples everywhere, as democratically represented by. . . oh, the Mullahs in Iran, the regime in Beijing, Hamas, Hezbollah, Mugabe, Cuba's rulers. 'Who are we to etc and so forth?' Hang on a second: I'm running into a problem with this.