Some on the right are already trying to claim credit should be given to George W. Bush’s “freedom agenda” for the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. The idea that former President Bush, President Obama or any America president were somehow were responsible for undermining a dictator supported by billions of U.S. dollars is beyond absurd.

Over the last few decades Bush, Obama and their predecessors funneled billions in America tax dollars, high tech weapons, military training, and our international credibility to the Mubarak government. Regardless of the rhetoric Bush occasionally trotted out after the fact to justify the Iraq War, democracy is simply not spread by spending billions propping up a dictator while making it clear to everyone you support them.

The only way Bush or the collective actions of the American government might be “responsible” for this spontaneous popular demand for democracy is if our government inadvertently killed the Mubarak regime with too much kindness.

I guess it is possible we gave Mubarak so much support, protection and largesse over some many decades that he eventual grew wealthy and totally isolated from the realities of his country. The unintended result being an administration made so tone deaf by years of gifts showered on him, that Mubarak became incapable of seeing or addressing rising public pressure for reforms before the public’s demands exploded in popular protest.

In other words, the U.S. ended the regime only to the extent a person might “kill” their pet by spoiling it with so many treats for year that it eventually succumbs to heart disease or diabetes. Death by too much love.

Collectively as a country we can claim no credit for this positive popular revolution against a dictator we spent so much money trying to keep in power.