Schwartz argues that America "always" puts freedom before peace [here]. Actually, as today's headlines show yet again, the Bush Administration is falling victim to its own propaganda. It is endangering vital U.S. interests in order to continue pretending that it is promoting democratization.

We are learning today, according to reliable information provided by the European Union, that Iran will soon be ready to arm its missiles with nuclear warheads. We also are learning that North Korea is restarting its nuclear bomb-making program, and that Russia is going to stop cooperating with the United States on both fronts. As the Russian foreign minister put it, the U.S. cannot have it both ways--try to punish Russia for its invasion of Georgia, and then seek its cooperation in dealing with Iran's and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

One may say, and Schwatz might well agree, that it is worth paying a hefty price for protecting the young democracy of Georgia from the claws of the Russian bear. However, what I am calling for is not some kind of Mephisto like deal, to give up our soul of support for democracy in order to advance our vital security interests. I am merely pointing out that we are undermining our vital interests (and those of our allies) -for propaganda's sake. The U.S. is not protecting Georgia from anything.

On the contrary, when the Bush Administration and Senator McCain declared that the "United States of America stands with the democratically elected government of Georgia" and that "Today, we are all Georgians," these pronouncements merely reinforced the growing realization that the U.S.--mired in the Middle East and in a deep economic crisis--is turning into a paper tiger. It can huff and puff, but short of nuclear war, it cannot bring anybody's house down. It cannot even take off the roof.

Moreover, the whole mess started when the Bush Administration, the master of the one-move chess play (lets make one move, and then think what to do next), sought to enroll Georgia in NATO. Membership in NATO implies military protection by all members for all members. The U.S., however, was neither willing nor able to make good on such a commitment, short of starting a nuclear war. So, it merely provoked Russia, endangered Georgia, and undermined our vital interests.

A Security First foreign policy does not mean giving up on promoting democratization by nonlethal means. It just means not fooling others and ourselves about what can be done by pronouncements and even sanctions (which nations do not enforce) and attending first to our most vital interests: stopping rouge states, failing states, and terrorists from developing--or keeping-- nuclear arms.

Amitai Etzioni is Professor of International Relations at The George Washington University and author of Security First (Yale, 2007) He can be contacted at comnet@gwu.edu. www.securityfirstbook.com