In a speech given Thursday, US President George Bush called upon the Arab countries of Syria, Iran and Egypt, as well as the Arabs of Judea Samaria and Gaza, to adopt democracy. He declared a change in US policy, stating that America would no longer support Arab states that reject liberty.
“The regime in Tehran must heed the democratic demands of the Iranian people or lose its last claim to legitimacy,” said Bush, in a foreign policy speech seen as a revolutionary shift in United States policy.
He scolded Syria’s leadership, accusing the regime of promising the people to restore ancient glories, but instead delivering a “legacy of torture, oppression, misery and ruin.”
With regard to Egypt, a country the US provides billions of dollars in financial and military aid to, Bush admonished: “The great and proud nation of Egypt has shown the way toward peace in the Middle East and now should show the way toward democracy in the Middle East.”
To the Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, Bush said, "The Palestinian leaders who block and undermine democratic reform and feed hatred and encourage violence are not leaders at all. They are the main obstacles to peace and to the success of the Palestinian people."
US President Bush made his speech to the National Endowment for Democracy, a group that champions democratic gains around the world.
The US President declared the past 60 years of American support of governments not devoted to political freedom a failed policy. “Sixty years of western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe, because in the long run stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty," Bush said.
The US President declared that the United States "has adopted a new policy," which he described as "a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East."
"This strategy requires the same persistence and energy and idealism we have shown before - and it will yield the same results," Bush said. "We believe that liberty is the design of nature. We believe that liberty is the direction of history."
Bush praised the preliminary steps toward democracy taking place in Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait and even Saudi Arabia, whose royal family does not appear to be shifting away from the strong monarchy currently in place.
"The good and capable people of the Middle East all deserve responsible leadership," he said. "For too long, many people in that region have been victims and subjects. They deserve to be active citizens."
"Are the peoples of the Middle East somehow beyond the reach of liberty? Are millions of men and women and children condemned by history or culture to live in despotism? Are they alone never to know freedom and never even have a choice in the matter? I, for one, do not believe it," Bush said.
“The regime in Tehran must heed the democratic demands of the Iranian people or lose its last claim to legitimacy,” said Bush, in a foreign policy speech seen as a revolutionary shift in United States policy.
He scolded Syria’s leadership, accusing the regime of promising the people to restore ancient glories, but instead delivering a “legacy of torture, oppression, misery and ruin.”
With regard to Egypt, a country the US provides billions of dollars in financial and military aid to, Bush admonished: “The great and proud nation of Egypt has shown the way toward peace in the Middle East and now should show the way toward democracy in the Middle East.”
To the Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, Bush said, "The Palestinian leaders who block and undermine democratic reform and feed hatred and encourage violence are not leaders at all. They are the main obstacles to peace and to the success of the Palestinian people."
US President Bush made his speech to the National Endowment for Democracy, a group that champions democratic gains around the world.
The US President declared the past 60 years of American support of governments not devoted to political freedom a failed policy. “Sixty years of western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe, because in the long run stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty," Bush said.
The US President declared that the United States "has adopted a new policy," which he described as "a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East."
"This strategy requires the same persistence and energy and idealism we have shown before - and it will yield the same results," Bush said. "We believe that liberty is the design of nature. We believe that liberty is the direction of history."
Bush praised the preliminary steps toward democracy taking place in Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait and even Saudi Arabia, whose royal family does not appear to be shifting away from the strong monarchy currently in place.
"The good and capable people of the Middle East all deserve responsible leadership," he said. "For too long, many people in that region have been victims and subjects. They deserve to be active citizens."
"Are the peoples of the Middle East somehow beyond the reach of liberty? Are millions of men and women and children condemned by history or culture to live in despotism? Are they alone never to know freedom and never even have a choice in the matter? I, for one, do not believe it," Bush said.