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We have all heard how Iraq is to be a new model of democracy in the Middle East, whether they like it or not. Afghanistan is another nation building effort of America to bring some form of US friendly quasi-democracy of our choosing, whether they like it or not.
However there are also places like Palestine, where Hamas won open elections in 2006, but Hamas is not the kind of people the US would like to see lead the Palestinian people. So the US labels them a terrorist organization, openly supports Abbas and the Palestinian Authority (which is little more than the remnants of a re-branded PLO) The PA then illegally seized power in the West Bank from the democratically elected government of Hamas, but while they might be back stabbing tyrants, they are OUR backstabbing tyrants and are willing to play US/Israeli ball even at the expense of their own people.
We crushed a democracy because it wasn't a democracy of our choosing, how ironic and how typical of us.
Recently we have seen revolution take place in Tunisia where the US first condemned it, then decided to support it once it was shown they were going to succeed. The real problem with this is that it provided an example to other precarious nations in the Middle East.
Egypt and it's US backed oppressive government that calls itself a democracy with President Mubarak holding office for 30 years. Even the US can't keep a straight face when using the terms democracy and Egypt in the same sentence, but once again, they may be tyrants, but they are OUR tyrants and Mubarak kept his people under his thumb and controlled by any means necessary and with the aid of billions of US tax dollars. So the US has poured billions into Egypt in order to ensure he maintains this control over a population of people that would just assume have nothing to do with the US and openly considers war against Israel.
Whoa... not good huh.
Then we have Lebanon which in a rather amazing event, elected a Shiite moderate in a normally Sunni supported area. Another nightmare for the west, the Sunni and Shiite putting aside differences and offering a unified position against the west. Holy Jesus Joseph and Mary, we can't have the Muslims unified, this would mean a lot of things and none of them good for the US.
However the real fear lay to the east a bit, in a small little kingdom called Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia there is a population of extremist Sunni's who if you recall decided it was in their best interest to fly planes into our World Trade Centers. Now this and other like groups feel the House of Saud is little more than puppets for the US and many people mumble under their breath of a government overthrow in Saudi Arabia, and in fact have even made a few anemic attempts to do just this.
What would the world be like if the population of Saudi Arabia rose up against its government and decided to form a new government? Chances are this will not happen, at least today, but it is a possibility and it is something that is considered in a very serious matter in the basement of the Pentagon.
The worst possible scenario for "US interests" is for democracy to become an actual goal of Middle Eastern nations. Not just democracy but democratic governments that refuse to play by Washington rules.
Last edited by TnHilltopper; 01-26-2011 at 03:53 PM..
I always maintained that the U.S. really needs to stop its overseas empire by stopping foreign aid and closing all foreign military bases and withdraw from the UN
Well on the bright side, we are now so over extended militarily and so in debt financially that we may no longer be able to project power and force with any substance over that of rhetoric and drone attacks.
The Middle East is current going through a profound shift in view and self identity, and whether this is ultimately good or bad is yet to be seen but what is becoming apparent is that the US is playing less and less of a role in determining what the results are.
What we do oversees has nothing to do with spreading democracy and everything to do with furthering our own interests. If we don't want democracies in the Middle East, we will crush them in their infancies. We have aided in the ouster of democratically elected presidents before (Allende) and we will in the future, I'm sure.
The only reason we use the word "democracy" when describing our oversees operations is to is to appeal emotionally to the poor, sleeping masses we send to the meat grinders of war.
What we do oversees has nothing to do with spreading democracy and everything to do with furthering our own interests. If we don't want democracies in the Middle East, we will crush them in their infancies. We have aided in the ouster of democratically elected presidents before (Allende) and we will in the future, I'm sure.
The only reason we use the word "democracy" when describing our oversees operations is to is to appeal emotionally to the poor, sleeping masses we send to the meat grinders of war.
Well it sure sounds great, I mean look at the thriving democracies we've created in Iraq and Afghanistan, true models to be followed... fer sure. (as Karzai dismisses elected officials he doesn't like and the west applauds their blossoming democracy)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dollymixture
Hamas and Palestine isn't really in the same category, that is such a unique situation.
Each situation is unique but I would ask why is it not in the same category? Hamas won in open and monitored elections in 2006 and gained 74 seats defeating Abbas and the Palestinian Authority who then seized control of the West Bank illegally. Not to mention that Abbas's elected term ended in 2008 but remains the person the US and Israel will deal with. Which kind of defeats the concept of democracy, no?
What we do oversees has nothing to do with spreading democracy and everything to do with furthering our own interests. If we don't want democracies in the Middle East, we will crush them in their infancies.
Yep. And we can see the outcome, in Pakistan, for example.
I have to imagine that what is taking place in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Lebanon has US foreign policy planners running around in circles, as it is almost as if a dam has broken.
What kind of surprises me is the silence of places like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. One almost wonders if many of the Muslim nations are taken aback by these recent events as well.
I would also speculate that right now, the House of Saud is freaking out.
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