The Iraqis never understood the meaning of 'democracy' from the west's perception. Most of us knew that. Too bad Bush didn't...
Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:37pm ETWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has quietly retreated from its high-profile push for democracy in the Muslim world.
The Hamas election stunned the Bush administration by bringing a violent militant group to power.
U.S. policy-makers saw the Hamas victory in the Palestinian territories as part of a potentially dangerous trend following democratic gains for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The experience in Iraq, which U.S. officials once envisioned as the catalyst for democratic change in Arab countries, has emerged instead as a disturbing symbol of sectarian strife. Frankly, the administration has retreated even from a passive push for democracy. Washington is now largely silent about actions taken by Middle East regimes to suppress political opposition.
2006-10-12
16:21:04
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