Shooting wars were frowned up by candidate Obama. We were going to win the world for freedom and democratic institutions through "soft power".

But it turns out that the Administration has reduced at least some of the most effective soft power efforts, those run by the two U.S. political parties in their overseas institutes funded by the US government. Instead of hiding such efforts in the CIA budget, as occurred during most of the Cold War, the Reagan Administration brought them into the light through the National Endowment for Democracy.

Overall, the two parties' international groups do a terrific job. They even work well together--when they are abroad. But the Obama Administration is cutting back these relatively meager expenditures. From the feds:

Appropriations for the National Endowment of Democracy, FY 2000-2011 (in millions)

2011 ------ $110.9
2010 ------ $118
2009 ------ $115
2008 ------ $111
2007 ------ $75
2006 ------ $74.04
2005 ------ $59.2
2004 ------ $39.57
2003 ------ $41.7
2002 ------ $33.5
2001 ------ $30.93
2000 ------ $30.87

If you believe that helping foreigners in places like Egypt--or Libya--to understand the practical workings of constitutional democracy, a few million is peanuts. Some of the best money we spent in Iraq assisted the nascent political parties there to learn how to organize and to learn why--in a republic--they should respect the rights of people that don't agree with them.

There is little hope of long term peace if this sort of program is skimped.