Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why We Will Never See Democracy in the Middle East
ABC News ^ | September 11, 2006 | Steven Pressfield

Posted on 10/08/2006 7:11:46 AM PDT by Axhandle

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-95 next last
To: Axhandle

Another arrogant Liberal "intellectual" who thinks "little brown people" are too stupid to understand the benefits of democracy and freedom.


41 posted on 10/08/2006 8:29:35 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer ("Today we march, tomorrow we vote!" The illegal aliens won't be "staying home" on Nov. 7th.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: himno hero
The tribalists live out in the more remote parts of the desert. More and more people have been populating the cities over the past couple of decades. The people in the cities tend to be fairly educated and they are embracing capitalism. They are starting to disdain the tribalists.

About 66% of the eligible population voted. Most of them did so very enthusiastically.

That's democracy taking hold.

42 posted on 10/08/2006 8:30:45 AM PDT by Allegra (Super Elastic Bubble Plastic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer
Another arrogant Liberal "intellectual" who thinks "little brown people" are too stupid to understand the benefits of democracy and freedom.

He'd be surprised (as I admit I was) as to how much the "little brown people" are just like us.

They want the same things we do: To prosper, to raise their families and to live in freedom.

43 posted on 10/08/2006 8:32:54 AM PDT by Allegra (Super Elastic Bubble Plastic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle

This Scottish clansman is here to tell you that this article is a bunch of B.S.!


44 posted on 10/08/2006 8:38:55 AM PDT by CarryaBigStick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle

There has been democracy in the Middle East in spite of this
history. In the 1950's Lebanon was a democracy and could be now. When the Middle Eastern "man in the street" sees this
freedom existing in a neighboring country it certainly affects him.


45 posted on 10/08/2006 8:40:11 AM PDT by upcountryhorseman (An old fashioned conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle

The "tribalism" of Iraq can disappear in a single generation. Liberals will be forced to accept this truth as it unfolds before their eyes.

And then liberals will pretend they were never opposed to it in the first place.

Thank you, President Bush.


46 posted on 10/08/2006 8:41:25 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (Leftists will never stand up like men and admit their true beliefs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

obviously what you cite is work in process.

its difficult to impose something on anyone unless they see the reason/benefit. Then they and their systems have to evolve to create the necessary infrastructure to proceed. You can not just catapult tribalists into the 21st century.

maybe you can.... go to the canadian north to meet the "eskimo"


47 posted on 10/08/2006 8:41:47 AM PDT by himno hero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Free Baptist

Ok Ok whatever.
When I see the word democracy in this kind of article I thing freely elected open transparent goverment.
I think you're nitpicking. (and yes i know this will get me flamed, but I'm all growed up and can take it)


48 posted on 10/08/2006 8:45:29 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle
Okay, then let's get revenge for 9-11 and all the other attacks on our country.

Instead of trying to play 'nice' let's just kill the SOBs.

49 posted on 10/08/2006 8:45:38 AM PDT by DCPatriot ("It aint what you don't know that kills you. It's what you know that aint so" Theodore Sturgeon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle
According to this article, democracy shouldn't have happened anywhere then, because tribalism was not limited to the ME.

The reason we do not see democracy in the ME is because Islam destroyed any hopes of it developing there. It stagnated the region and held it back in the 7th century.
50 posted on 10/08/2006 8:48:28 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sender

You hit upon a good point. To extend it: Much of the problem in the middle east is caused by the fact that "islamogovernments" seek to project their brand of rule across political boundaries. Until political boundaries are respected, the middle east democracies will not take hold and establish liberty, because they will be continually challenged from the outside. Leaders like the ayatollah in iran - can't remember his name - who is calling for separation of religion and state could go a long way toward making political boundaries real, which would protect the budding democracies.


51 posted on 10/08/2006 8:57:11 AM PDT by gotribe (It's not a religion.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

The arrogant Lefties made this same old, tired argument during the Vietnam war. Americans fall for it everytime.


52 posted on 10/08/2006 8:58:17 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer ("Today we march, tomorrow we vote!" The illegal aliens won't be "staying home" on Nov. 7th.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer; Allegra
Another arrogant Liberal "intellectual" who thinks "little brown people" are too stupid to understand the benefits of democracy and freedom.

I don't see how "little brown people" got inserted into the argument - race baiting is usually a tool of liberals.

In any event, many cultures are just not set up to handle civilized government beyond dictatorships. Africa is a good example, what it the ratio of thriving republics to corrupt regimes?

Like it or not, tribalism and Islam are big deterrents to any sort of democratic government. That is why the Isrealies are thriving and the rest of the middle east is pretty much in the 14th century - even with oil money.

The author is correct, if it had been written by Rush then you'd be praising it and rightly condemning the savageness of Islam.

Acknowledging the accuracy of the article doesn't mean you're a defeatist or want to cut and run. All it means is that trying to turn Iraq into a US-like republic is not the way to go. There are many other alternatives.

53 posted on 10/08/2006 9:05:16 AM PDT by JeffAtlanta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Allegra

"About 66% of the eligible population voted."

And tribalism was thus mortally wounded.


54 posted on 10/08/2006 9:05:16 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (Leftists will never stand up like men and admit their true beliefs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle
Extremist Islam is merely an overlay (and a recent one at that) atop the primal, unchanging mind-set of the East, which is tribalism, and its constituent individual, the tribesman.

The problem if MidEast tribalism is no secret, but the significance of Islam in this myopic writer's view is misnderstood. Far more than a "mere overlay," it is the glue which keeps the tribes in place as the intermediate source of social control. Without the pre- and pro-scriptions of Islam, the tribes would be easy prey to westernizing influences, and would soon have only nominal, vestigial control. It's one thing to hold out against Alexander's army. To resist the blandishments of materialistic Western affluence is a horse of a different color entirely. Only a super-ordinate set of sanctions such as provided by islam make it possible.

55 posted on 10/08/2006 9:07:22 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Axhandle
Extremist Islam is merely an overlay (and a recent one at that) atop the primal, unchanging mind-set of the East, which is tribalism, and its constituent individual, the tribesman.

The problem of MidEast tribalism is no secret, but the significance of Islam in this myopic writer's view is misnderstood. Far more than a "mere overlay," it is the glue which keeps the tribes in place as the intermediate source of social control. Without the pre- and pro-scriptions of Islam, the tribes would be easy prey to westernizing influences, and would soon have only nominal, vestigial control. It's one thing to hold out against Alexander's army. To resist the blandishments of materialistic Western affluence is a horse of a different color entirely. Only a super-ordinate set of sanctions such as provided by islam make it possible.

56 posted on 10/08/2006 9:07:47 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JeffAtlanta; FlingWingFlyer
The author is correct, if it had been written by Rush then you'd be praising it and rightly condemning the savageness of Islam.

I don't agree and no, I wouldn't give a rat's who wrote the article. I dispute crap like this all the time, regardless of who's spewing it.

But then again, I'm not some bearded intellectual with leather patches on my elbows.

I'm just some red-blooded American who's been working (and observing) in Iraq for nearly three years. What do I know?

57 posted on 10/08/2006 9:12:26 AM PDT by Allegra (Super Elastic Bubble Plastic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: bert
It is my thought that the movement to cities and growth of cities will overcome the tribal allegiences that are territorial. Fathers and uncles are tribal, sons and cousins in cities pay lipservice. Grandsons forget about it altogether.

I think you are right, that urbanization weakens tribalism by replacing its allegiances with other forms of social organization that work better in non-rural, nonagrarian economic settings.

58 posted on 10/08/2006 9:16:43 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: JeffAtlanta
I don't see how "little brown people" got inserted into the argument - race baiting is usually a tool of liberals.

Exactly! When someone shoots flaming arrows at me as liberals tend to do, I shoot flaming arrows back. Water balloons just won't cut it. I'm a firm believer in fighting the enemy where they want to fight. Taking the "high road" is for sissies and usually will cause you to get your ass whipped. Had this article been written by Limbaugh, the lefties would have been screaming that "Middle East" is "code" for "little brown people." The DemocRATS RIGHT NOW are accusing us of killing "little brown people" with our war on terrorism. Learn a little sarcasm. It comes in handy when fighting the war against liberals.

59 posted on 10/08/2006 9:18:05 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer ("Today we march, tomorrow we vote!" The illegal aliens won't be "staying home" on Nov. 7th.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: stylecouncilor; windcliff

Values vs blood, ping.


60 posted on 10/08/2006 9:21:59 AM PDT by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-95 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson