'Change we can believe in'? Not for the Middle East

[JCMach1]

...Disappointed is a small word to use for a country that funds the Egyptian government with as much as $1.55 billion a year. Contrast what has happened in the last two years in Egypt with what occurred under the former US president George W Bush's watch, where Egypt held its freest elections yet. The Muslim Brotherhood movement won as much as 20 per cent of the parliamentary seats. They won none in the latest poll.

The reactions of the Obama administration to the indefinite postponement of elections in some Arab countries, outright vote rigging and brutal crushing of demonstrations, in others is telling. America's rebuke of the Yemeni leader's grandiose plans for a presidency for life last week were to urge him to "delay parliamentary action and to return to the negotiating table". On the other hand the Obama administration awarded the Yemeni government with an economic aid package of roughly $150 million in 2010 in addition to a military package this year in excess of $200 million. It's ironic that this very equipment could be used against demonstrators who may take to the streets to oppose a lifetime presidency in Yemen.

But it is unfair to lay the blame for the lack of democracy in the Arab world completely on the shoulders of the United States. Arabs themselves play a major role in what becomes of their societies...

What US policy makers must realise is that the formula of "aid for stability" has only been working on the surface. Turning a blind eye to certain practices by Arab governments has a far more pervasive impact of stifling genuine reform and freedom for the people of the Arab world... http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/culture-comment/change-we-can-believe-in-not-for-the-middle-east?pageCount=0

[aquart]

1. Riiiiight because WE control the Middle East.

Those brownish people could not tie their shoelaces without instructions from an American white guy in a suit.

The unbelievable arrogance of Americans. The Middle East pre-dates us. Its corruption pre-dates us. Its hatreds pre-date us. They know more about themselves than we will ever know or bother to understand.

But we think anything we do can make their decisions for them. Incredible.

[avaistheone1]

2. Well now those brownish people

take orders from an American black guy in a suit, and things are just as screwed up in the Middle East as before he took over.

No change we can believe in.

[saras]

3. Change, for sure

No one ever said 'improvement'. They said 'change'.