[AnalogReigns]

I'm not sure democratization is the cure...yet. With the ignorance and gullibility of their growing uneducated populations, Arab countries need strong leaders willing to move toward democracratic/republican political ideals...(where are such to be found?) The trouble is, in most traditional cultures, such leaders are deemed as weaker than tyrants...and weakness is the ultimate mark of popular contempt.

Even in the West democracy came a little at a time--and our founders desired a Republic--literally with a merit-based elite leading--to keep fundamental rights and intelligent policy primary--NOT possible with full democracy. With the reliance of opinion pols...with declining public awareness (see Jay Leno's on-the-street interviews...) I think sometimes America has become too democratic. We are not the free Republic the Founders envisaged.

[marktwain]

I think you may be right. What the Arab world needs now, more than anything, is good information. An that is precisely what they are being denied. If everything you here and read blames Jews and America for all of your problems, if all of your media tell you that suicide by bomb is the greatest form of Jihad.. then you will act as the Arabs act. People can only act on the information that they have. What we need is a radio free middle east, with arabic speakers, moderate Islamic scholars, and truth.