Comments on: A Taste of Democracy

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 19:16:38 +0000

“but I believe it is safe to say that the recent Israeli and the US are to be held responsible.”

Aren’t they behind all the evil in middle-east too?

By: Dubh

Dubh — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 15:34:07 +0000

Does anyone here think that Hamas can lead the Palestinians to victory over Israel? This thing has the potential to go white hot in very short order. Add to that the fact that Hamas has stated publicly they are willing to be a client state of Iran if they will help them wipe Israel off the map and put every Jew to death. Is that what you really want? Iran has or is very close to having nuclear weapons. I think the Iranians are just crazy enough to think they can absorb a n Israeli nuke but Israel cannot succesfully absorb an Iranian one. They might be right but that is a very very big gamble.

By: moodz

moodz — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 09:46:06 +0000

DRW:
You are right, I –as an Arab- have never lived democracy, but that still doesn’t mean that I don’t have the right to write the situation in Palestine as to what I believe happened.

Now, I would agree that the Palestinians have made a choice, whether or not it was “rational” is rather debatable, I would not cross out the chronic corruption and the autocratic policies Fatah has demonstrated the past 10 years as a reason for the recent victory, yet making the argument that the Palestinians have suddenly adopted Hamas violent root of Islamic Jihad is just outrageous. And personally speaking, I seriously have my doubts as to whether or not the Palestinians would be happy with the increased violence and the Taliban like religious strictures that Hamas advocates; let’s not forget the recent clashes in Gaza after the withdrawal now shall we.

That is beside the fact that Hamas is facing threats already, which includes a near-bankrupt government and others of international isolation, meaning additional obstacles and time until we see the real results.

Everybody here sounds optimistic, let’s just hope you are right..

By: DRW

DRW — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 04:25:52 +0000

You write like someone who has never lived in a Democracy and who has never voted. Why are you so patronizing to Arabs to not believe that the Palestinians made a rational choice based on their own local conditions? As Don pointed out above, the Fatah’s corruption and incompentency made Hamas an attractive altnernative. Stop blaming Bush and Israel. The Palestinian people should be congratulated for carrying out a successful election. I think this will be the first peaceful changing of governments in Arab history.

By: Don Cox

Don Cox — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 17:09:02 +0000

I think that in both Iran and Palestine, people thought they were voting against corruption.

In Iraq, I suspect that many voted tribally, which is not good.

But all that really matters is that elections should be held every four or five years (or sooner) in a completely fair and uncorrupt way. If that can be done (which is very difficult), the other problems will go away. There has not yet been a free election in Iran (except in the time of Mossadeq) or Egypt, but I think the Palestine and Iraq elections were more or less OK.

By: ES

ES — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 00:10:26 +0000

“Ahmadi Najad is an awesome man, he seriously does not take any shoot from anyone. I like the way he runs the country.”

Oh please. You admire the fact that he stood in front of millions and said that Israel has no right to exist and therefore should be dismantled?

That’s not leading a country into victory and hope.

That’s leading a country to a bloody war. It makes it easier for people to be against Iran.

If the US is on his case, he’s brought this on himself. Planet Earth is a big Battle Royale. You will do anything in your power to survive. They’re on his case because of his big mouth, he should’ve been smarter about it and kept it shut. Instead he plays games knowing that his country’s security is at stake. That’s bad leadership.

By: waffles

waffles — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 12:23:52 +0000

“Bush can talk all the talk”, Bush does not know how to talk, and he never did.

And let it be whatever the people choose as their leaders. I do not see any problem with leaders in Iraq, Lebanon, and specialy Iran. Ahmadi Najad is an awesome man, he seriously does not take any shoot from anyone. I like the way he runs the country. Best of all, i admire his courage and determination very much.