Democratic revolution is spreading across the world, in the greatest news and megatrend story of possibly the century.

But for those of us who are already in democratic regimes, we sometimes wonder if there is much more we can do except watch and applaud. There is partisan political activism, of course, but that isn’t for everyone. And we can’t get involved in partisan politics, except maybe to cheer at the sidelines. So how does the free world participate in advancing democracy and beating back tyrants?

Well, just look.

Today, the West struck a couple of significant blows against tyranny — one out of the New Mexico desert skies and the other beneath the deep coastal offshore waters of Brazil.

That’s right, tyrants like Hugo Chavez and Kim Jong Il suffered significant setbacks today as the U.S. successfully conducted another anti-ballastic missile test called THAAD, up in the highland desert of New Mexico, sending a message to the autocratic regime in North Korea that the U.S. has no intention of being vulnerable to its threats of nuclear domination. Glenn at Instapundit found the story on Captain’s Quarters blog in this post here.

Meanwhile, in the deep waters off Brazil, the nation’s state oil company, working with other multinational oil companies, operating out of a high-tech martian-spaceship-like contraption known as a deepwater offshore oil drill, discovered really fancy light crude oil in the deepest waters that had previously been unknown. They raised their energy supply with this move, and lowered their dependence on tyrants for imported oil. In fact, they just recently reached oil self-sufficiency so this fancy oil is probably something they can sell on world markets, bringing the price of oil down, and allowing us or someone else to not HAVE to enrich Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Just think of it – Brazil is out there putting more oil on the market and undercutting Chavez right where he thinks he is strongest.

Both the missile launch and the offshore oil discovery are everyday workaday tasks that could go on with no significance other than making or spending government money. But it’s not that way. Missile defense and abundant oil are two of the strongest tools out there for undercutting tyrants.

Today looks like it’s … very quietly … a great day for striking blows for freedom.

UPDATE: The U.S. Senate has just approved a compromise measure to allow some offshore drilling, bringing up the rear, following the example of Brazil. Another blow struck at the tyrant of Caracas. And one more great blow for freedom! Read it here.