This book investigates the ideological shift among prominent American liberals who supported the 2003 Iraq War based on humanitarian and democratic interventionist principles. Tony Smith, a professor of political science, examines the historical trajectory of liberal internationalism from the Wilsonian era to the post-9/11 Bush Doctrine. He argues that the adoption of a militant posture regarding democracy promotion represents a significant and problematic departure from traditional liberal values, effectively aligning liberal thought with imperialist strategies.

Scholars and political analysts recognize this work as a critical examination of the intersection between liberal ideology and American foreign policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the author's rigorous approach to tracing the evolution of interventionist thought.