Arming people who chop off heads of women alleged to be witches...

[matmar]

Gives the lie to the idea that the US is interested in democracy in the Middle East.

[Possumpoint]

1. Is Democracy Sustainable In The ME?

Under the tenants of the Islamic Religion the worshipers must follow the religious instructions of their Imam's. This affect almost all levels of life. Only in Turkey have the laws been written to secularize the laws and government. Religious forces in Turkey continue to try to overturn that.

[matmar]

2. Through education, democracy is sustainable.

Uneducated, indocrinated religious society thrives in America as well.

[Possumpoint]

4. Think

Take a close look at education levels in the ME. Most schools set up over there are religious based. Many countries frown on education for girls.

[ret5hd]

3. under the tenets of the catholic religion the faithful must follow the religious instructions of the

pope. The same could be said of most of xtianity.

In the U.S. the constitution has been written to secularize the laws and government. Religious forces in the U.S. continue to try to overturn that.

(see how silly it sounds now?)

[Possumpoint]

6. Apples Vs Oranges

Attempts to equate conditions in the ME with here in the USA don't add up.

[Bragi]

10. When did US Xians last behead a woman?

Comparing Islamic radicals with US fundies is false equivalency at its worst.

Truth is, some radical Islamists do horrid things, and criticism of their actions should not be blithely dismissed as bigotry.

[ret5hd]

12. don't specifically remember women, but...

i do remember a few children being killed by a parent cause god told them to, and a few left to die in their bed cause god don't like doctors, etc.

[taterguy]

5. The ME's problem is oil, not religion

That's what leads to totalitarian regimes.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

9. History is rife with examples of exceptions for the lords, and heaps of religion for the serfs. n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Not if it is a country governed by the sharia

The only viable democracy in the Middle East today is Israel

[Ms. Toad]

7. Is there a specific incident which triggered this?

That might be worth discussing - otherwise, it is a pretty broad brush allegation that just fuels anti-Islamic sentiments.

If you're really interested in establishing that the US is not interested in democracy the Middle East, here is a less inflammatory and more convincing place to start: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/05/144637499/bahrain-the-revolution-that-wasnt

And, finally, the last time I checked the US has its own pretty sorry history with women alleged to be witches: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html

[MH1]

13. Where was Islam mentioned in the post?

I would have preferred there was substance in the post about what the heck s/he is talking about, but the post did not reference a specific religion. It seems to me it refers to a government rather than a religion. I think we all know that there are widely variant policies among differing Islamic countries. So why would you assume this to be talking about Islam?

[Ms. Toad]

18. Because it referenced the middle east

and for anyone not living under a rock - whether it should or not - allegations of brutal punishments carried out in that region call up the most extreme practices carried out under Islamic law by certain church-states in that region.

As I suggested - if that was not the intent of the OP, it would be helpful to context to limit the inflammatory impact of a generic statement about an extreme punishment that was meted out in a predominantly Muslim region, governed predominantly by Islamic law.

I didn't assume the speaker was talking about Islam - but I suggested that would be impact of the statement which could be mitigated by providing context.

[MH1]

21. I mostly agree.

My problem is that I can see both sides of it. I think the post should have been written much more clearly. (In general, I'm not a fan of cryptic posts. Take the time to write a little context, sheesh.)

OTOH, I can see why the alert didn't get sufficient support from the jury. I don't think it's a complete travesty that the alert failed. I wouldn't have been raising a ruckus if the alert succeeded, either.

[quinnox]

8. nice way to broad brush an entire region as barbaric

and uncivilized. Believe it or not, the Middle East is composed of many different countries and attitudes and is not one monolithic place.

While I agree that the U.S. is demonstrating hypocrisy with this policy, I think this OP could have been stated in a more artful manner.

[Suji to Seoul]

17. Right not to be offended is not an enumerated right in the Bills of Rights

though many people in today's America, with the self-esteem movement and the wimps it produced, seem to think either it is or it should be more important that that pesky first amendment.

Broad brush or not, OP does not have to "artful."

[MH1]

14. Link, please?

I just put "witch" into google news and came up with no reference to beheadings in Middle Eastern countries.

What the heck are you talking about?

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. Try this search:

'"witch" "middle east"' on Google News. 3rd answer: Salem comes to Saudi Arabia. All about the execution of a witch.

And:

'"arms" "deal" "us" "middle east"'

1st result: A huge new arms deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

My, 2 big news stories about Saudi Arabia.

[MH1]

20. Yeah, I just put "witch" in google, I figured if it was a current event, it would come up

But you're right, I should have added "Middle East".

That said, the person writing a post really should put enough context that people don't have to run to google to find out what they're talking about. JMHO, of course ...

[Suji to Seoul]

15. Democracy. . .no. Mad profits from exploiting oil resources. HELLS YEAH!!!!

So a couple of women needed to die to shore up a bottom line. It's their fault. If they were good Christians and if they heads didn't try to stop the downward thrust of an axe, machete, chainsaw or anything else used, they would still be alive.

After all, it's just women. Who cares? We're oil men!

(MAJOR, MAJOR SARCASM HERE. DO NOT FLAME!)

[Skidmore]

16. Well, we make certain that we are armed to the teeth and

we are no less barbaric than any other nation when it comes to violence and war. Sometime the finger you point only points back at yourself.