After the election of Hamas, what will happen now to the push for democracy in the Middle East?
Austin Bay offers this, along with some insights from Condi Rice:
Democracy is no perfect defense against religious and ethnic terrorists, either. Hamas won an election, soundly drubbing secular Fatah.
Democracy is flawed -- the other choices, however, are fatal.
In an interview on Jan. 30, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice rejected the idea that Hamas' victory would lead the United States to renege on its commitment to democracy in the Middle East.
"What is the alternative to believing in democracy so that people can express themselves?" Rice replied. "The alternative is to say that they shouldn't have the right to express themselves. The alternative is to say that it is better that the people of the Middle East continue to have no say in who will govern them, continue to have no say in how their interests are going to be represented."
She added this caveat: "... those who win elections have an obligation to govern democratically, and I hope the people who elected -- who elect governments will hold them to the obligation to govern democratically. That means that the same people who have used the open political system to come to power have to keep the system open to opposition to their views and to their ideas."
Rice went on to express her belief that this is an "evolutionary" period, and pointed out that in Iraq and Afghanistan the United States is dealing with Islamic groups that are "democratic in their orientation."
Can Hamas evolve?
Hamas assumes power with a political platform that includes the destruction of Israel. "Insurgent Hamas" could freely criticize Fatah and promise the "utopian" destruction of Israel. "Government Hamas," however, must put up or shut up. Here's a guarantee: Israel's destruction is a campaign promise Hamas cannot fulfill. That places Hamas in a political and ideological vise. If Hamas stalwarts attempt to destroy Israel, the Israelis will beat them and beat them badly. Israel may even have Fatah as an ally.
1 comment:
The Palestinians voting for Hamas were in a dilemma. They could vote for continued corruption with Fatah, or take a chance with Hamas. Now that Hamas is in power, I would hope their expressed sincerity regarding "reform" would lead them to serve their electorate with good government service. The problem is, the Iranians or Syria may well bankroll them and instigate a new warfare with Israel. So I wish the Palestinians luck; after all, the Arab Establishment has stranded them; Israel has cut them off out of self-defense interest; and they are too desperate to be any longer socially sane. Whatever happened to the sense of a shared mortality and need for mutual self-respect??
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