The "self correcting tendencies" of democracy didn't stop said democracies from doing the same type of errors not even 2 decades ago in iraq (invading a sovreig

The "self correcting tendencies" of democracy didn't stop said democracies from doing the same type of errors not even 2 decades ago in iraq (invading a sovreign nation). I don't know why we would except any better from an authoritarian country, and I honestly don't know if anyone really did?