ok, so I haven't even got past the first couple of sentences, and I see this:
"political tsunami unleashed on Afghanistan"

I'm so annoyed by that phrase, I can't even begin to articulate why. Maybe later...

I think I know what you mean. The National Review has always specialized in a certain kind of smarty-pants prose style that seems meant to invoke natural fibers, knowing preppy smirks, and football weekends at Dartmouth...

Beyond that, it's the use of tsunami metaphor throughout the article. It is attractive to this writer becuase the tsunami represents such AWESOME POWER. Just like this democracy that is supposedly sweeping our great earth. Wow, man.
I guess there are two things that bother me. One, it seems lazy; a rhetorical convenience to grab onto the current news event to make a point no matter what. The second thing is that to draw this analogy is to ignore that the tsunami was actually a DESTRUCTIVE force that tore families apart, ruined livlihoods, and destroyed homes. Is that what democracy is??

excellent points.