By Barry Rubin
In a speech, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asks:
“Why does America promote democracy one way in some countries and another way in others?”
Here’ how the question should be rephrased:
Why does America subvert the chances for democracy one way in some countries and another way in others?
Here’s the answer:
In some places—notably Iran, Syria, and the Gaza Strip—America does nothing to promote democracy and the downfall of anti-American regimes because it is afraid to challenge the dictatorships. In fact, at times it comes to their aid and comfort.
In Iran, it did so by wasting two years on engagement and by failing to back the democratic opposition, even at the height of protests over a stolen election.
In Syria, by coddling the dictatorship until that became too obviously gruesome in backing such a bloodthirsty regime during an all-out revolt. Since then the U.S. government sub-contracted choosing the Syrian opposition exile leadership to the Turkish Islamist regime. Naturally, it choose a majority of Islamists. So this is the group that will be asked by the U.S. government advice and get the money!
In the Gaza Strip, it helped the tyrants by pressing Israel to reduce sanctions and by doing nothing seriously to subvert that anti-American, genocidal revolutionary Islamist entity. Now it is empowering Hamas's strongest ally, the Muslim Brotherhood which in power would give Hamas a huge amount of help.
While in other places—such as Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia--it enables anti-American, anti-democratic, antisemitic, dictatorial movements.
But if I were to take Clinton’s question at face value the proper answer would be this:
Read it all:
http://pjmedia.com/barryrubin/2011/11/09/how-the-obama-administration-helps-kill-the-chances-for-arab-turkish-and-iranian-democracy/
In a speech, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asks:
“Why does America promote democracy one way in some countries and another way in others?”
Here’ how the question should be rephrased:
Why does America subvert the chances for democracy one way in some countries and another way in others?
Here’s the answer:
In some places—notably Iran, Syria, and the Gaza Strip—America does nothing to promote democracy and the downfall of anti-American regimes because it is afraid to challenge the dictatorships. In fact, at times it comes to their aid and comfort.
In Iran, it did so by wasting two years on engagement and by failing to back the democratic opposition, even at the height of protests over a stolen election.
In Syria, by coddling the dictatorship until that became too obviously gruesome in backing such a bloodthirsty regime during an all-out revolt. Since then the U.S. government sub-contracted choosing the Syrian opposition exile leadership to the Turkish Islamist regime. Naturally, it choose a majority of Islamists. So this is the group that will be asked by the U.S. government advice and get the money!
In the Gaza Strip, it helped the tyrants by pressing Israel to reduce sanctions and by doing nothing seriously to subvert that anti-American, genocidal revolutionary Islamist entity. Now it is empowering Hamas's strongest ally, the Muslim Brotherhood which in power would give Hamas a huge amount of help.
While in other places—such as Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia--it enables anti-American, anti-democratic, antisemitic, dictatorial movements.
But if I were to take Clinton’s question at face value the proper answer would be this:
Read it all:
http://pjmedia.com/barryrubin/2011/11/09/how-the-obama-administration-helps-kill-the-chances-for-arab-turkish-and-iranian-democracy/
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