I knew one day, that if I read Eric Alterman enough, I would find something to agree with him on. That day has finally come.

Alterman discusses the neoconservative fetishization for democracy in the Arab world as an almost cure-all to anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism, and terrorism. It's not. Alterman writes, "the more democratic Arab nations become, the more anti-American/anti-Israeli/pro-terrorist they become."

In other words, the people in many Arab countries are more extreme than their leaders. In many cases, democracy would not be responsible; nor would democratic governments necessarily mean improvements on the current, dictatorial regimes that pollute the Arab world. Democracy doesn't work with unenlightened voters. People who almost unanimously hate the United States, prefer Osama bin Laden to any Western leader, and support Palestinian suicide bombings against Israeli civilians deserve the control of nations like death-row inmates deserve weapons stashes in their cells.

One might note here than in the early days of our "democracy" the right to vote was only granted to white male property owners.

Plus, back then people considered it a duty and an honor to learn. In our times, most teenagers can't name their own Federal Representative. Part of living in a democratic society is walking into the voting booth with an informed opinion. The illiteracy rates in mid-east countries are so high that these basic tools are not available to the common man in those nations. Their education comes from their faith.

Be well,

Sponge

I seem to recall a Victor Davis Hanson column not too long ago on NRO in which he discussed how wherever a local election was held in Iraq in the past few months, the radical, anti-Western Islamists have lost. Moderates have been winning the local elections in Iraq by and large.

Are you and Alterman certain of your information in this, or are you both going on assumptions and opinions?

Look at the Algerian elections more than a decade ago. They were hailed, at long last, as democracy gaining a foothold in the Arab world. Alas, days before the elections they were called off because it was clear to everyone that the Islamic nuts would win.

Check out the link provided in the post. It cites public opinion polls in various Middle Eastern countries. These polls show high favorability ratings for Osama in various countries, and anemic favorability ratings for Christians, Jews, and America. A few years back, a poll showed a 6% favorability rating for America among Egyptians. Do you really think that of the Egyptian rabble governed that they would be less anti-American than their government? Democracy is not a cure-all for our woes in the Middle East.

Starve the bastards. I keep hearing how democracy is the "promised land" and the ends to which we can stop terrorism. F-that. Starve these F**kers. Poverty's not the cause of terrorism, ISLAM is the cause of terrorism. Don't do business with these savages anymore. Get our oil somewhere else, and let them eat sand. Look what happened with the Chinese. Everyone said if we did business with China, the people would "come around" to western values, which I guess means consumerism and obsession with personal wealth. Well...that kinda happened....but they're still communists! They still threaten us! Starve those bastards too.

It is unfortunate but true in most cases that some populations are better ruled by dictatorial government or at least by a government of their peers who have similar cultural and philosophical beliefs.

This is the say that, as much as we would like it to be different, we will never be able to float democratic rule as a concept or a form of government in Iraq. I think this is especially true in general in the Islamic world where fanatic religious beliefs trump all.

Until a majority of these people decide that they want it, it ain’t going to happen.

The only way that I see a possibility of it working would be to do what we did after WWII in Europe and Japan: completely dominate and subjugate the conquered poplulations and force feed our choices to them. This would be followed by 20 years or more of tweaking and monitoring.

As a government and military force, the U.S. will not be committed to this.

So, we’ve gone in, removed a brutal dictator, have not found the stockpiles of weapons and are, for all intents and purposes, done there.

Let’s get the hell out and not see any more of our troops wasted on a people who ultimately will go back to the ways of their ancient ancestors anyway.

-Mike Boyle, I have been trying to get in touch with you and Tim. Send me an email or stop by Kitty's.
-Sean.