It's important to remember that having an election does not make a country democratic. It's a necessary part, of course, but it's not the be-all-end-all. Let's take Iran, for instance.
You can't run for office there without getting prior approval from the unelected mullahs. Hey, someone's gotta keep the revolution pure by not allowing another revolution. This is a key strategy in that it gives the illusion of the power of the vote.
From a policy perspective, there's hardly a nickel's worth of difference between Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rather, throwing out the incumbent would have been a symbolic victory for reformers standing up to power. Take away people's hope and street protests are what you get.
I love how those responsible for the election have said, "Yeah, there were some irregularities, but not enough to change the outcome." Really? Coming from a body that declared a winner BEFORE looking into potential vote fraud this is hardly reassuring. But, in the end, it doesn't matter. Outside of the show vote, Iran has very little democracy or respect for individual rights (especially women's rights). Unless the Mullah's are overthrown, this isn't going to change, regardless of what kinds of votes they hold.
Whether Obama should inject us into this is another question. I'm a firm believer that we should stand up for democracy first before other foreign policy considerations. In the short term it may make things awkward or difficult. However, in the long run we will never go to war with a country whose democratic drive we supported. It doesn't really matter which of the two Iranian candidates wins in terms of our interests in the region. They have the same objectives (though express them differently) and it's the Mullah's who are really in charge. We should strongly support anyone who fights that tyrannical power.
Showing posts with label world politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world politics. Show all posts
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Obama in Cairo
I've got this weird stomach bug, so I apologize in advance if this post makes less sense than usual. Today was the closest thing I've taken to a sick day in a bunch of years. But, I had a proposal to get out the door so I wrote, napped, repeat.
As I'm sure you know by now, Obama gave a big speech in Cairo yesterday. Let me just say right now that I don't give a shit what the "Arab street" thinks. First, there is no monolithic "Arab street". Second, the US president's job isn't to formulate policy strictly for their benefit.
I was pleased that he called out both the Palestinians (you're not getting between the US and Israel, so quit trying) and the Israelis (umb, you can't keep building settlements and negotiate for peace at the same time. Of course, that assumes that Netanyahu wants to negotiate for peace, which is a different story.).
Sure, it would have been rude to do so, but I wish he would have specifically called out some Arab governments, like Egypt's, for being anti-democratic. Our biggest foriegn policy problems in the Middle East is our support for repressive governments. And he could have been stronger in encouraging some of the countries to educate their girls.
In the end, even his eloquent words won't lead to much. When he tells Mubarek that he military aid will get cut unless he makes political reforms, then we'll have progress and relations with the "Arab street". Likewise when he tells the Saudi princes no more jets until full rights are extended to women. Partners who stay in power using repression and denying human rights are not our friends, nor should they be.
As I'm sure you know by now, Obama gave a big speech in Cairo yesterday. Let me just say right now that I don't give a shit what the "Arab street" thinks. First, there is no monolithic "Arab street". Second, the US president's job isn't to formulate policy strictly for their benefit.
I was pleased that he called out both the Palestinians (you're not getting between the US and Israel, so quit trying) and the Israelis (umb, you can't keep building settlements and negotiate for peace at the same time. Of course, that assumes that Netanyahu wants to negotiate for peace, which is a different story.).
Sure, it would have been rude to do so, but I wish he would have specifically called out some Arab governments, like Egypt's, for being anti-democratic. Our biggest foriegn policy problems in the Middle East is our support for repressive governments. And he could have been stronger in encouraging some of the countries to educate their girls.
In the end, even his eloquent words won't lead to much. When he tells Mubarek that he military aid will get cut unless he makes political reforms, then we'll have progress and relations with the "Arab street". Likewise when he tells the Saudi princes no more jets until full rights are extended to women. Partners who stay in power using repression and denying human rights are not our friends, nor should they be.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Bachelor Plus
This morning my wife caught a 7 am flight to Boston through Sunday. At 8:10 am, the bus will pick up the HB for camp where he is staying overnight until I pick him up at 4:15 on Friday. So, it's 28 hours of a quiet house. I'm very psyched.
On a more serious note, Russia has found a good excuse to show its ass in Georgia. OK, Georgia pretty much started it by trying to put down the pro-Russian separatists in South Ossetia. So, Russia decides to, well, put down their ex-separatists. Their incursion is clearly a message to all of the ex-Soviet republics (or those who want to be) that Chechnya was an aberration and they better watch themselves.
On a more serious note, Russia has found a good excuse to show its ass in Georgia. OK, Georgia pretty much started it by trying to put down the pro-Russian separatists in South Ossetia. So, Russia decides to, well, put down their ex-separatists. Their incursion is clearly a message to all of the ex-Soviet republics (or those who want to be) that Chechnya was an aberration and they better watch themselves.
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