A Taste of Democracy
The recent victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections shed the lights on a major paradoxical issue in the Bush Administration’s policies toward the Middle East. Bush pushed for elections, for empowering the people and letting them decide their own fate, decisions and future, assuming that they know best, while at the same time juggling and empowering a moderate like current which will serve as a “safety valve” that will equal out and condense the existence of a radical uncontrolled elected power.
Such uneducated policies lead extreme Muslim fundamentalists to power, Shiite’s have taken over the Iraqi parliament, have boosted Hizbullah’s in Lebanon, brought radical Ahmedinjad to head Iran, gave the opportunity to the Muslim Brotherhood act to even shine more, and now, Hamas’s victory in the recent Palestinian elections.
I don’t think I am in the position to make a judgment on how the political situation have lead those parties to reach power in Lebanon or Iran, but I believe it is safe to say that the recent Israeli and the US are to be held responsible.
Bush allowed the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to basically ignore the old ruling part “Fatah” of the late Yaser Arafat, to assassinate its leaders by air missiles and making them martyrs in the eyes of not only Palestinians but Arabs all over, while Israeli settlements continued to grow, the separating wall went on, and even after the historical withdrawal of Gaza it was met with the Israeli refusal of aiding the Palestinians to control peace and order in the new “freed” (I just can’t get over that word) territory.
The frustrating situations have lead the Palestinians to embrace Hamas as their new savior, even that recent polls show that the majority is with a two-state solution (source).
I still strongly believe in democracy, but not just through ballot boxes and polls, before stabilizing the situation, controlling peace and guaranteeing the basic human need of safety, not with the continuous threats towards Iran, Hizbullah, Iraq and now lately the clear double standards that the Bush administration has exhibited when explicitly stating that it will not be dealing with “fundamentalist” Hamas (that calls for the removal of the state of Israel), while it has been recognizing and dealing with the Likud party in Israel (which is dedicated to the destruction of the Palestinian State).
Democracy isn’t just a magical wand that will solve all the problems by just throwing it there, Bush can talk all the talk, but every time I see him on TV I start to doubt the powers of democracy, how on earth did he do it again!
“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.
“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.
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.
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.
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..
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.
“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?
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- Mohammed AlMaskati
East Riffa, Bahrain
I support a ONE Bahrain!
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