08 August 2006
Confusing the Trappings with the Main Course
Why does the Bush Administration place so much stock in the trappings of democracy? You would think that its goal in the Middle East is to stage elections in as many countries as possible. That policy objective has not borne results favorable to American interests – not in Lebanon, where the government cannot control the use of its territory; not in Palestine where the affairs of its nascent state are hostage to another terrorist organization; not in Afghanistan or Iraq where the power of Western-leaning regimes is confined to the capital city or only one part of the capital city.
It’s not likely that we can gain more from accessories associated with democracy than from the peacefulness exercised by a liberated people. If they choose not to follow the dogma of a foreign conqueror whose liberal policies are not relevant to their culture, do they not have the right to make that choice? Do we have the patience to wait for them to judge the efficacy of the path they freely choose to lead to the achievement of their social and personal goals? We waited many decades for the mantle of Communism to be lifted from Eastern Europe – by those peoples themselves. Perhaps it will take that long, or longer, to reach a final outcome in the Islamic Middle East.
As reported in the 8 August 2006 Wall Street Journal, Condoleeza Rice and George Bush seem to have concluded that they “need to take the long view.” Let us hope they have learned something, and that they can pass that along to their religious right constituency. If not, we are overdue for a change in Washington to a more patient majority Congressional party.
Why does the Bush Administration place so much stock in the trappings of democracy? You would think that its goal in the Middle East is to stage elections in as many countries as possible. That policy objective has not borne results favorable to American interests – not in Lebanon, where the government cannot control the use of its territory; not in Palestine where the affairs of its nascent state are hostage to another terrorist organization; not in Afghanistan or Iraq where the power of Western-leaning regimes is confined to the capital city or only one part of the capital city.
It’s not likely that we can gain more from accessories associated with democracy than from the peacefulness exercised by a liberated people. If they choose not to follow the dogma of a foreign conqueror whose liberal policies are not relevant to their culture, do they not have the right to make that choice? Do we have the patience to wait for them to judge the efficacy of the path they freely choose to lead to the achievement of their social and personal goals? We waited many decades for the mantle of Communism to be lifted from Eastern Europe – by those peoples themselves. Perhaps it will take that long, or longer, to reach a final outcome in the Islamic Middle East.
As reported in the 8 August 2006 Wall Street Journal, Condoleeza Rice and George Bush seem to have concluded that they “need to take the long view.” Let us hope they have learned something, and that they can pass that along to their religious right constituency. If not, we are overdue for a change in Washington to a more patient majority Congressional party.
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