Will the Mideast Bloom?

wash post ^ | March 13, 2005 | Youssef M. Ibrahim

[kevin fortuna]

Will the Mideast Bloom?

By Youssef M. Ibrahim Sunday, March 13, 2005; Page B01

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Listen to the conversations in the cafes on the edge of the creek that runs through this Persian Gulf city, and it is hard to believe that the George W. Bush being praised by Arab diners is the same George W. Bush who has been widely excoriated in these parts ever since he took office.

Yet the balmy breeze blowing along the creek carries murmurs of approval for the devoutly Christian U.S. president, whose persistent calls for democracy in the Middle East are looking less like preaching and more like timely encouragement.

[kevin fortuna]

what a difference a month makes!

[MikefromOhio]

Let's keep the ball rolling and the pressure on.

[Savage Beast]

The poor Democrats. How can they stand it if peace, prosperity, and representative government become universal??? It's their worst nightmare! And--horror of horrors!--under the leadership of George W. Bush!

The only thing worse than having truth threaten a cerished paradigm is to have truth abolish one.

[hiredhand]

A month? :-) You've never had a "short" three minute beating have you?! :-)

Welcome to FR. :-)

[kdot]

While communism collapsed largely of its own weight in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union without U.S. intervention

Gotta get that jab in. ...Reagan-haters.

[kevin fortuna]

you're absolutely right. that line is absurd! - "of its own weight" give me a break!!!!

[Talking_Mouse]

While communism collapsed largely of its own weight in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union without U.S. intervention

Don't worry, in 20 years, it will have been inevitable that the middle east would become democratic, even without U.S. intervention

[Dick Vomer]

While communism collapsed largely of its own weight in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union without U.S. intervention

just trying to revise history.... our task is to make sure that future generations know that from about 1936 till 2005 the press went through a phase of socialist/communist advocacy that eventually degenerated until the freedom of the internet allowed the lies to be exposed.

The liberlal MSM's monopoly is going the way of the dodo. There will always be a need for breaking video and a collection of the data but the sites and video production is currently being filtered. The internet is acting as the editors in order to verify the information.

Fox has to continue to have BOTH sides, including flaming libs (Combs, Van Sustern etc..) in order to not fall into the same old comfortable, stale, mental monopoly that the left had with the old media. Steel sharpens steel... our ideas have to be able to be defended, vigorously. We can't just "feel" patriotic or "feel" that tort reform or "feel" that we need a strong military... we need to KNOW and defend the reasons for our opinions.

[Dick Vomer]

Don't worry, in 20 years, it will have been inevitable that the middle east would become democratic, even without U.S. intervention......yep.... it will be because of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton getting the Arabs and Israelis to French kiss at Camp David... as opposed to American troops willing to lay down their lives with the support of President Bush.

Funny how things are seen.... Gorbachav was "so smart" to pull the Soviets towards that dumba#$ Reagan in order to "free" his people. Gawd! Libs just suck.

[kdot]

Well said.

[BIGZ]

Europe should hope that the Mideast does not bloom, because if it does bloom the EU is out of an economic future. The Mideast will put Europe to shame from an economic and manufacturing situation. Europe with it's socialist, and antiquated economic policies will not stand up in a World economy to an economically free Mideast.

They have all the oil.

[kevin fortuna]

interesting point! i think you might be right!

[rbg81]

Somehow I don't think the EU, or anyone else, will have anything to fear (from an economic standpoint anyway) from the Middle East (save Israel). Take away oil, and the combined GDP of all the Arab countries is less than Italy's. The political/economic/religious situation there is such a mess, it will take them decades (if not centuries) to overcome.

[Ben Chad]

The only thing I can see blooming on the horizon of the ME is a large mushroom cloud.

[Allegra]

The only thing I can see blooming on the horizon of the ME is a large mushroom cloud.

Good freakin' grief.

Are you paying attention to what's happening at all?

[pkok]

Never underestimate the power of an idea.

[sheik yerbouty]

It will bloom once the jihadists are planted in the ground..

[PigRigger]

It will bloom if the average Muslim takes a stand.....