Earlier this year, the Obama Administration announced it was cutting back on its plans in this area of democracy promotion in the Middle East, another missed opportunity.ฟNow, it is understandable why many progressives were skeptical about Obama's proposed use of military force in Syria last year—the risks were high, and the arguments coming from the Administration weren't as clear as they could have been. But deciding to unilaterally disarm in the battle of ideas is a mistake that will undermine our security in the long run.