Middle Eastern Democracy is good, no wait, it's bad

[SlyPokerDog]

Over simplified yet pretty funny.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/m...onservatives-rethink-middle-eastern-democracy

 

[maxiep]

Here is my main beef with neoconservatism when applied abroad. Our foreign policy shouldn't be about wanting democracy for everyone; it should be about promoting our interests. You work with institutions within those countries with dictatorships to attempt a transition to democracy that is in accordance with our values. In the case of Egypt, keeping Mubarak in power was in our best interests until we could help build a movement that allowed for free and fair elections which resulted in a democracy friendly to us.

It's like the old lawyer adage: You don't ask a question to which you already don't know the answer. The Obama Administration didn't know the answer to who would replace Mubarak, or--worse yet--didn't care.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Here is my main beef with neoconservatism when applied abroad. Our foreign policy shouldn't be about wanting democracy for everyone; it should be about promoting our interests. You work with institutions within those countries with dictatorships to attempt a transition to democracy that is in accordance with our values. In the case of Egypt, keeping Mubarak in power was in our best interests until we could help build a movement that allowed for free and fair elections which resulted in a democracy friendly to us.

It's like the old lawyer adage: You don't ask a question to which you already don't know the answer. The Obama Administration didn't know the answer to who would replace Mubarak, or--worse yet--didn't care.

I honestly don't care what kind of government other countries have. That's on them to figure it out, not us. I love democracy, believe in it, personally feel it's the best form of government that we currently have. But that doesn't mean we need to force it on others or that it will work for them. That's up to those countries to decide. Democracy is fought for and earned, not given or forced upon.

 

[Eastoff]

I honestly don't care what kind of government other countries have. That's on them to figure it out, not us. I love democracy, believe in it, personally feel it's the best form of government that we currently have. But that doesn't mean we need to force it on others or that it will work for them. That's up to those countries to decide. Democracy is fought for and earned, not given or forced upon.

Democratic-Republic is what we have. We elect people to vote on most issues for us. This country would fall apart if we had to (got to) vote on everything.

 

[maxiep]

I honestly don't care what kind of government other countries have. That's on them to figure it out, not us. I love democracy, believe in it, personally feel it's the best form of government that we currently have. But that doesn't mean we need to force it on others or that it will work for them. That's up to those countries to decide. Democracy is fought for and earned, not given or forced upon.

I somewhat, but not completely, agree. I think our foreign policy should be to promote our interests. Generally leading people to a representative democracy accomplishes that goal, but not in every case. For example, the Afghani culture of tribalism renders that goal a pipe dream and one that won't work best in our favor. However, it's worked reasonably well in Iraq.

 

[Denny Crane]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/america_basher_backfire_dKswUjW6LBShGc2uKrGyIM

Old Glory strikes back.

In an apparent case of red, white and blue revenge, a Pakistani protester died yesterday after inhaling smoke from a burning American flag during an anti-US rally.

Abdullah Ismail succumbed at Mayo Hospital in Lahore a day after attending the fierce protest at the city’s Mall Road, where an estimated 10,000 people rallied.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

dont we usually prop up our own sock puppets after we overthrow their governments, like in afghanistan and iraq?