[NCSteve]

The Arab tyrannies are just as doomed to eventually go on the ash heap of history.

I certainly hope you are right. However, Arab tyranny has a 1500 year history whereas Communist Totalitarianism was a relative Johnny-come-lately. That's not to belittle Reagan's accomplishment by any means. The Soviet menace was more subtle but far more deadly than the threat from Arabic Islam.

If a short taste of Democracy and freedom is all that is needed to overcome 15 centuries of cultural indoctrination, then I will be very impressed. The cynic in me doubts that very much, though.

[AFPhys]

You have apparently known very few if any expatriots from Iraq or Iran. The two dozen or so I have worked with have been very ready for democracy, and Saddumb only survived by the great and explicit threats he held over the fate of families. More than one who I knew "had to go back" in order to save their family from threats. This is not a stupid people, and I predict that in 15 years they will be a huge technological force in the MidEast.