How do you like your democracy now, Mr. Bush? Juan Cole

[kpete]

Juan Cole:
How do you like your democracy now, Mr. Bush?


Jan. 27, 2006 | The stunning victory of the militant Muslim fundamentalist Hamas Party in the Palestinian elections underlines the central contradictions in the Bush administration's policies toward the Middle East. Bush pushes for elections, confusing them with democracy, but seems blind to the dangers of right-wing populism. At the same time, he continually undermines the moderate and secular forces in the region by acting high-handedly or allowing his clients to do so. As a result, Sunni fundamentalist parties, some with ties to violent cells, have emerged as key players in Iraq, Egypt and Palestine.

...........

Democracy depends not just on elections but on a rule of law, on stable institutions, on basic economic security for the population, and on checks and balances that forestall a tyranny of the majority. Elections in the absence of this key societal context can produce authoritarian regimes and abuses as easily as they can produce genuine people power. Bush is on the whole unwilling to invest sufficiently in these key institutions and practices abroad. And by either creating or failing to deal with hated foreign occupations, he has sown the seeds for militant Islamist movements that gain popularity because of their nationalist credentials.


............

Bush has boxed himself into an impossible situation. He promoted elections that have produced results opposite of the ones he wanted. For all his constant rhetoric about his determination to hunt down and kill terrorists, in Palestine he has in effect helped install into power a group he calls "terrorists." His confusion over whether this is democracy, which should be legitimate, or is an unacceptable outcome -- and his unwillingness to address the underlying issues behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- suggest that a fatal paralysis will continue to afflict the region.

via:http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_01_22_digbysblog_archive.html#113834680024832148

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. He thought Diebold was handling the vote count.....eom

[schmuls]

6. Ha! Good one

[BlueEyedSon]

2. That second paragraph could be Prof. Cole talking about the US....

:)

When Bush & co use the words "democracy" and "freedom", they are speaking in code.... those words mean something different to them than their dictionary definitions, or our conventional meanings.

Democracy = government friendly to the US and will allow unfettered access by our military and corporations.

Freedom = absence of all laws governing business, trade, taxation

[izzie]

3. I have been hearing about this since the 50's and high school

I am bored with it I am sorry to say. I can recall how we kids all though it was great that the Jews of Europe had a place to go and my father said well you would not be so happy if they took your land. And of course it was a problem. The US did not want them, Europe did not want them and they did not want to stay. I hardly thing we have taken a step forward but then as I said I am bored with that war after 60 years. And never got it out of my head that we all would be mad if they had half of York County Maine or any other county in this country. It is a problem I can not solve in my mind. Bush got what he wanted. An election. What more can one say? I do not feel anti-anything so do not scream at me, it is just something that leaves me with un-solved stuff in my mind.I feel pity for both sides.

[kpete]

4. KOS has more on this story from Juan Cole

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/27/33838/7534

[SujiwanKenobee]

5. That's the problem with having an outside party involved-

How can it be a democracy if someone from the outside is moving the gears and applying influence to affect the outcome the way THEY want it? Democracy has to arise from within the psyche of a country and set up the condition where the members of the community will fight for it even to the death on their own. (Yes, the colonials in the US got France involved, but the idea came from our own...)