There are times I really understand George Bush, and there are times I don?t. When he talks about spreading democracy as a way of increasing peace and stability in the Middle East, okay, it makes sense. When he encourages Israel to position herself nicely next to the abyss because the bad guys promise this time not to try to push her off - no really, this time - well, obviously, that doesn?t make too much sense for Israel. But what isn?t obvious is why it is such a crummy move for the US and the free world.
To really get the full effect, you have to look at this from the Arab?s point of view. Here is big, bad Israel, running away from terrorists. So, the guy in the bazaar says, ?Hah, they are scared of us macho hum-booms!? Right? Maybe. But inside, what are they really thinking?
My guess is they are probably thinking something like this:
I can?t believe Israel is really going to do something so stupid as to surrender to this ?Disengagement Plan?. Those Jews are too smart for this. Maybe it?s all a trap. No, it must be they can?t help it. Their government is controlled by their big General, Ariel Sharon. It must be just like when one of our Generals seizes the government; he can do anything he wants. Their press must support the government, just like our government press. Their citizens? rights are conditional, according to their politics, just like in our countries. But now, for some reason, Sharon is being controlled by the American boss, President George Bush. Together, they are leading the Jews to destruction -- and the Jews, even if they know better, can?t do anything about it. It is always the Generals and bosses who have the power. Democracy is a hoax, after all.
You see, the Arabs aren?t stupid, either. At least some of them know intuitively that America is in favor of democracy for other countries ? as long as they democratically decide to do what America wants. So, the more Bush leans on Sharon, and the more Sharon overreaches the limits of his official power, the more we ourselves convince the masses of the Islamic Axis that democracy isn?t all it?s cracked up to be. Democratic rights are illusory and not worth fighting for. No matter what anyone says, videotapes of riot police beating up protestors is a much stronger argument.
Don?t forget, to the average Third Worlder, the defamation and demonization of political opponents isn?t unusual, the loss of civil liberties for wearing protest colors isn?t shocking, the arrest of hundreds or thousands of men and women, even teenagers, for peaceful protest is... normal.
Is this really the message America wants to give the world? That democracy is all just talk? That when it comes to balancing the existential rights of democratic Israel with the genocidal lusts of the Islamofascists, the answer is, well, uh....
There is a much better strategy available. Make a big display of democracy in action. Don?t interfere with the protest movement in Israel, publicize it. Take seriously the Palestinian refusal to act against terrorism and publicize that, too. Let the public outcry actually lead to very public reconsideration of the plan, with greater weight given to both the security risks and the civil rights of the Israelis living in the disputed territories. Show the world that democracy really can give power to the masses, that it can protect citizens that disagree with their government, that it can curb abuses of power without resort to civil war or yet another coup.
Maybe, then, the citizens of totalitarian regimes will overcome their cynicism and find the courage to assert their own human and democratic rights. Just think - this could be the biggest PR opportunity for pro-democracy forces ever. Let's not lose it.
To really get the full effect, you have to look at this from the Arab?s point of view. Here is big, bad Israel, running away from terrorists. So, the guy in the bazaar says, ?Hah, they are scared of us macho hum-booms!? Right? Maybe. But inside, what are they really thinking?
My guess is they are probably thinking something like this:
I can?t believe Israel is really going to do something so stupid as to surrender to this ?Disengagement Plan?. Those Jews are too smart for this. Maybe it?s all a trap. No, it must be they can?t help it. Their government is controlled by their big General, Ariel Sharon. It must be just like when one of our Generals seizes the government; he can do anything he wants. Their press must support the government, just like our government press. Their citizens? rights are conditional, according to their politics, just like in our countries. But now, for some reason, Sharon is being controlled by the American boss, President George Bush. Together, they are leading the Jews to destruction -- and the Jews, even if they know better, can?t do anything about it. It is always the Generals and bosses who have the power. Democracy is a hoax, after all.
You see, the Arabs aren?t stupid, either. At least some of them know intuitively that America is in favor of democracy for other countries ? as long as they democratically decide to do what America wants. So, the more Bush leans on Sharon, and the more Sharon overreaches the limits of his official power, the more we ourselves convince the masses of the Islamic Axis that democracy isn?t all it?s cracked up to be. Democratic rights are illusory and not worth fighting for. No matter what anyone says, videotapes of riot police beating up protestors is a much stronger argument.
Don?t forget, to the average Third Worlder, the defamation and demonization of political opponents isn?t unusual, the loss of civil liberties for wearing protest colors isn?t shocking, the arrest of hundreds or thousands of men and women, even teenagers, for peaceful protest is... normal.
Is this really the message America wants to give the world? That democracy is all just talk? That when it comes to balancing the existential rights of democratic Israel with the genocidal lusts of the Islamofascists, the answer is, well, uh....
There is a much better strategy available. Make a big display of democracy in action. Don?t interfere with the protest movement in Israel, publicize it. Take seriously the Palestinian refusal to act against terrorism and publicize that, too. Let the public outcry actually lead to very public reconsideration of the plan, with greater weight given to both the security risks and the civil rights of the Israelis living in the disputed territories. Show the world that democracy really can give power to the masses, that it can protect citizens that disagree with their government, that it can curb abuses of power without resort to civil war or yet another coup.
Maybe, then, the citizens of totalitarian regimes will overcome their cynicism and find the courage to assert their own human and democratic rights. Just think - this could be the biggest PR opportunity for pro-democracy forces ever. Let's not lose it.