Do I think the US was democratic during WWII? How does the US doing something make it in any way right, legitimate, or acceptable? The fact that others did the same, such as Canada, changes nothing to this.
I never said in any way that I approve of a government, elected or not, being able to unilaterally engage the entire country in war.
As for military men being in control, that's a funny thing you say there. Because from where I stand, a ton of violent dictatorships are precisely that: military putsches where the generals in charge repress their own citizen to maintain control. Or are you going to tell me that Pinochet and Péron, just to name two, were swell lads that'd you love to have tea with? Heck, even in the example that you gave: Mohamed Farrah Aidid was a Somalian general.
The US, never has been, and never will be a Democracy. We are a Republic. For starters.
Now, the issues you have brought up:
Military men from civilizied countries where politicians do not hold military rank is ideal, however, when the kid gloves come off and its wartime, step back and let the people trained to do it handle their business. That being said, many, many countries, especially Africa, and any two bit military dictatorship you can think of have zero separation of government and military and any two bit worthless politician can call himself a General. No actual army of a civilized nation recognized Mohamad Farah Aidid as a General, and he does not meet the requirements of being an actual General. To be a General Officer for starters, you need to have a nation and a government that appointed you the comission. Aidid was from SOMALIA, that place that hasn't had a functioning government for longer than I've been alive, you know? Really, Africa has no place in this debate. The vast majority of that continent is not even close to being considered civil society. Frankly, you make a case for my argument. Let the military do their thing, and let the politicians do theirs. Those of us who have been to war don't want to return unless the need is dire. When the need arises, we will rise to the occasion. Don't accuse us of wanting it. The military dictators you point out fall into two categories: Officers who have never seen a real day's fighting, never lost friends, never been in the dust and the dirt and the grime, shed sweat and blood and tears. Or number two, they are sociopaths, and frankly don't care.
Peron was quite popular among many circles. Will of the masses you know. He was ELECTED after all.
Pinochet was an officer who never set foot on a battlefield. Fancy uniforms and officer schools don't make a soldier. He also ended up handing control over to a democratically elected government in 1990.