Where is Foucault when you need him

"All across the Middle East, indeed the world, authoritarian governments use the power of punishment to try to intimidate and silence." This sentence by Micael Slackman in the New York Times cries out for the intervention of Michel Foucault. I mean it can be easily argued that "democratic" governments spread and institutionalize their domination and control by introdcuing an artificial seemigly rigid distinction between authoritarian and democratic government. I mean read that sentence above: why would it not apply to democratic governments, especially the US. As if democracies don't rule by punishment and intimidation.