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Willravel · 10-04-2008, 08:08 PM

I'm not an idiot. I know that democracy isn't a magical governmental system that brings with it morality, western ideals, and reliable stability. I snicker when members of the political right taut "bringing democracy" to countries as the ultimate good, in the ultimate best interest of the US and her allies because I know how absurd it is. I remember the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. Hamas, an organization linked with what's colloquially known as "terrorism", or more specifically armed resistance and active violence to attain political and social goals, was elected into power in a free and democratic election. They won fair and square, through democracy; democracy, that great and all curing medicine.

Unfortunately, the idea of democratizing the Middle East has become a part of the agenda of both the Coke and Pepsi parties. I expect nutty things from Palin and McCain, but I swear it's a part of the Obama/Biden ticket, too. We have no choice, America has to choose someone that wants to spread democracy like a preacher spreads his religion; indiscriminately.

The obvious problem is that which I described above with Palestine: the West has been interfering with and killing the Middle East on and off since the Crusades. The US alone is responsible for several regime changes, allying with murderous dictators, sparking wars, and even arming both sides of wars. A lot of perfectly reasonable people in the Middle East don't like us, and for good reason.

As a typical far lefty, I often find myself arguing on behalf of absent Arab interests in debates about the Middle East and blame. I'm sure plenty of people here on TFP even think I'm anti-Israel because I end up on that side so often. At the end of the conversation or debate, it's me citing horrible things that Israel, the UN, the League of Nations, the UK, or the US has done. Something that I never get to bring up, though, is that I absolutely do not want to force democracy on the Middle East. It's the king of stupid ideas. Why? Democracy generally bring with it more a stable economy. Democracy generally brings with it a better funded government. What do you suppose that would mean in Iran, a place we've demonized for the past 20 years? Well first off it would bring with it a bigger stronger, and higher tech military. It would make bribing their officials more difficult. It would make Iran's neighbors (especially Iraq) more scared. What it wouldn't do is erase 60 years of the US sticking our nose into their business; it wouldn't undo the wars, regime changes, threats and deaths.

Instead of getting an ally, we may very well get a stronger adversary and a less stable region. Israel would be scared shitless, with their finger perpetually on the trigger of their nuclear arsenal. Iranian interests would likely spread through other Arab nations like wildfire (substantially more than they do now). Iran may even begin careful expansionism. We're already concerned that part of Iraq will become part of Iran. Iran could even forge together the MEU, the Middle Eastern Union. Care to take a guess at what oil prices might look like for the US then? They could switch all Arab oil over to the Euro, the Rupel, or even the Yen.

My point is, maybe we should all sit down and talk about things like Middle East democratization before it becomes bi-partisan dogma (if it's not too late already).

Thoughts?

10-04-2008, 08:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	Democratization of "Extremist" States I'm not an idiot. I know that democracy isn't a magical governmental system that brings with it morality, western ideals, and reliable stability. I snicker when members of the political right taut "bringing democracy" to countries as the ultimate good, in the ultimate best interest of the US and her allies because I know how absurd it is. I remember the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. Hamas, an organization linked with what's colloquially known as "terrorism", or more specifically armed resistance and active violence to attain political and social goals, was elected into power in a free and democratic election. They won fair and square, through democracy; democracy, that great and all curing medicine. Unfortunately, the idea of democratizing the Middle East has become a part of the agenda of both the Coke and Pepsi parties. I expect nutty things from Palin and McCain, but I swear it's a part of the Obama/Biden ticket, too. We have no choice, America has to choose someone that wants to spread democracy like a preacher spreads his religion; indiscriminately. The obvious problem is that which I described above with Palestine: the West has been interfering with and killing the Middle East on and off since the Crusades. The US alone is responsible for several regime changes, allying with murderous dictators, sparking wars, and even arming both sides of wars. A lot of perfectly reasonable people in the Middle East don't like us, and for good reason. As a typical far lefty, I often find myself arguing on behalf of absent Arab interests in debates about the Middle East and blame. I'm sure plenty of people here on TFP even think I'm anti-Israel because I end up on that side so often. At the end of the conversation or debate, it's me citing horrible things that Israel, the UN, the League of Nations, the UK, or the US has done. Something that I never get to bring up, though, is that I absolutely do not want to force democracy on the Middle East. It's the king of stupid ideas. Why? Democracy generally bring with it more a stable economy. Democracy generally brings with it a better funded government. What do you suppose that would mean in Iran, a place we've demonized for the past 20 years? Well first off it would bring with it a bigger stronger, and higher tech military. It would make bribing their officials more difficult. It would make Iran's neighbors (especially Iraq) more scared. What it wouldn't do is erase 60 years of the US sticking our nose into their business; it wouldn't undo the wars, regime changes, threats and deaths. Instead of getting an ally, we may very well get a stronger adversary and a less stable region. Israel would be scared shitless, with their finger perpetually on the trigger of their nuclear arsenal. Iranian interests would likely spread through other Arab nations like wildfire (substantially more than they do now). Iran may even begin careful expansionism. We're already concerned that part of Iraq will become part of Iran. Iran could even forge together the MEU, the Middle Eastern Union. Care to take a guess at what oil prices might look like for the US then? They could switch all Arab oil over to the Euro, the Rupel, or even the Yen. My point is, maybe we should all sit down and talk about things like Middle East democratization before it becomes bi-partisan dogma (if it's not too late already). Thoughts?