NYT: Democracy in the Arab World, a U.S. Goal, Falters

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/world/middleeast/10democracy.html?hp&ex=1144641600&en=f493ed1948f0ce12&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Democracy in the Arab World, a U.S. Goal, Falters

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 9 — Steps toward democracy in the Arab world, a crucial American goal that just months ago was cause for optimism — with elections held in Iraq, Egypt and the Palestinian areas — are slowing, blocked by legal maneuvers and official changes of heart throughout the Middle East.

Analysts and officials say the political rise of Islamists, the chaos in Iraq, the newfound Shiite power in Iraq with its implication for growing Iranian influence, and the sense among some rulers that they can wait out the end of the Bush administration have put the brakes on democratization.

"It feels like everything is going back to the bad old days, as if we never went through any changes at all," said Sulaiman al-Hattlan, editor in chief of Forbes Arabia and a prominent Saudi columnist and advocate. "Everyone is convinced now that there was no serious or genuine belief in change from the governments. It was just a reaction to pressure by the international media and the U.S."

In Egypt, the government of President Hosni Mubarak, which allowed a contested presidential election last year, has delayed municipal elections by two years after the Muslim Brotherhood made big gains in parliamentary elections late last year, despite the government's violent efforts to stop the group's supporters.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. "Freedom is on the march"

The problem it's not quite the "freedom" that is "supposed" to be in our best interests. It occurs to me that by going around "spreading democracy" and toppling (or encouraging the toppling of) autocratic, albeit secular and politically moderate, regimes we may actually be unwittingly (or wittingly?) DOING Bin Laden's work of creating a bloc of Islamic fundamentalist states ("caliphate") for him! Of course, nobody could've predicted this outcome. :eyes:

[Oversea Visitor]

2. Too much hate for US by people

Just say anti US and people vote for you
Democracy my ass
Bad moon rising
Courtesy of bushwhacko rovingmad dickhead rumdrunk peabrain plan

The people what goverments to resist US madness
So all the chickenshit leaders pussy footing around this illegal war will get ass kick
Then come rabib dog mad goverments who hate US
Nice WORLD
Damn CRAZY
What a future

[EVDebs]

3. The road to hell is paved with good intentions...

The UN's Arab Human Development reports since 2002

http://www.rbas.undp.org/ahdr.cfm

have been put out in response to the journalism of Bernard Lewis's What Went Wrong,

What Went Wrong ?
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200201/lewis and others like Irshad Manji

The Trouble With Islam
http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/

The main problem with George Bush and the neocons/vulcans is thinking that it can be done FOR the Arab world, avoiding self-determination altogether. LIHOP/MIHOP not considered, the '14 permanent bases' etc. are now becoming evidence of occupation (permanently ?). Polls of Iraqis show this is behind support for the insurgents. Withdrawal from Iraq would be a good thing...Iraqis may want to invite a US presence back someday; now that would be evidence of self-determination !

[msongs]

4. islam is the state and the state is islam. very democratic eh? nt

[LynnTheDem]

5. Iraq, Egypt and the Palestinian areas have held elections long before bush

was forced to use "spreading democracy" as his excuse when all his other bullshit excuses fell apart.

[rodeodance]

6. but, for many the pandora's box has opened and hard to put back in-

These countries need to do it themselves -not pushed, bullied by US. It will come someday--100years? 200? or soner?

[mom cat]

7. Cut the crap! Our goal was never to "bring democracy". That was just a

last ditch excuse hauled out after all the others had been shot down. Bushco does not want democracy anywhere, including here. "Freedom" is just a code word for the rights of the super rich to be "free" to trample on the rights of the rest of us.