True, but in recent history specific conditions have been required...

1. Inherently hierarchical, top-down societies. Germany and Japan, yes. Arabs, not so much.
2. Catastrophic imposition of force. Either wall-to-wall invasion with a lot of scorched earth, or the employment of science-fantasy super weapons which should not have plausibly existed in the minds of the enemy.


That said, people are still human. It was reasonably assessed that we *could* have molded the Iraqi society in our image if we had stayed for two generations and rigorously ensured that democratic institutions functioned and were protected. We just would have had to stay for 50 years, in force.