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Baraka_Guru · 02-13-2011, 07:24 AM

What's going on in the Middle East right now seems more a liberalization of Islam than a mobilization of fundamentalism. It's primarily a democratization of authoritarian states. This may make fundamentalists uneasy---human rights and freedoms tend to do that---but it shouldn't lead them to point their anger to America.

Actually, it's rather interesting: this current upheaval is happening despite American influence---either positive or negative---on self-determination of governance and societies. Even if you trace the source of the bad to American influence, the source of the good is overwhelming enough that it shifts any remnants of focus from America to the people themselves.

If things play out like the do in Egypt or Tunisia, it becomes more apparent that American geopolitical influence just doesn't matter so much as it did.

This is one symptom of several of the waning American empire. This not-mattering. Democratization is fascinating. It's wrests nations from the effects of imperialism.

02-13-2011, 07:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	What's going on in the Middle East right now seems more a liberalization of Islam than a mobilization of fundamentalism. It's primarily a democratization of authoritarian states. This may make fundamentalists uneasy---human rights and freedoms tend to do that---but it shouldn't lead them to point their anger to America. Actually, it's rather interesting: this current upheaval is happening despite American influence---either positive or negative---on self-determination of governance and societies. Even if you trace the source of the bad to American influence, the source of the good is overwhelming enough that it shifts any remnants of focus from America to the people themselves. If things play out like the do in Egypt or Tunisia, it becomes more apparent that American geopolitical influence just doesn't matter so much as it did. This is one symptom of several of the waning American empire. This not-mattering. Democratization is fascinating. It's wrests nations from the effects of imperialism. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 02-13-2011 at 07:52 AM..