Free Republic

The Bush administration is searching for an Arab model for an Islamic democracy. The debate concerns how to outline a roadmap for Arab democracy and who should be its models. U.S. officials said the some senior members in the Bush administration have suggested to some Arab allies of Washington that they should emulate Indonesia, Middle East Newsline reported. But they said neither proposal was welcomed by the Arabs. "The great majority of the world's Muslims would like to be part of successful, free, democratic, prosperous societies, those that embody what might be called Western values but that are, in fact,...

An Arab Diplomat on the Need to Replace Jihad With Social Development In an article written by "an Arab diplomat who chose to reveal his real name," - Abu Ahmad Mustafa called upon the Arab world to replace Jihad with social development. The article, titled "When Will the Arabs Learn the Lesson Even Once," appeared recently in the Saudi-owned London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. The following are excerpts from the article: "Now, after the fog has begun to lift above the skies of the Palestinian Authority, and after the second Intifada has ended, at such a terrible price, the Arabs must...

The Arab world is well stocked with angry men like Hisham Mohammed Hadayet, the 41-year-old Egyptian who attacked the El Al ticket desk at Los Angeles airport.He seems to have been the latest victim of a widespread delusion that sees America as the fount of all the world's evils and Israel as its agent in the Middle East. The region's autocratic rulers traditionally deflect criticism for their own failures by blaming outsiders. Previously the villains were the old colonial powers, with Britain top of the list. Now it is the US.At the same time political Islamists promote the idea of...