Does President Bush have the right to advocate and promote democracy and reform in the Muslim world?

Question

YOU LIBERALS ARE FUNNY

This question was asked to Bill Clinton last night, and he said, yes, of course.

Answer 1

Yes he does he doen't have the right to force it down there throats.

Answer 2

I think so. If we can all agree that democracy is generally a good thing, why shouldn't the most powerful leader on earth seek to promote it? Now, I agree that promotion through violent means is often not a wise choice, but given the political and cultural state of the middle east, it may have been the only way to promote it effectively.

Saddam Hussein may have been a cruel dictator, but he was by no means stupid. I think one could argue that he would never allow a democracy to peacefully emerge, although others could argue that democracy, favoring the populace, and therefore favoring the power of numbers, would inevitably emerge through its own means.

Another way of looking at this is that we're not really talking about democracy at all. The United States itself acts more like a republic than a true democracy (although a true democracy would be chaos.) What we're really talking about is individual freedoms, which is not contingent upon a democracy being in place. A country can be under the rule of a benevolent dictator who values their individual freedoms while ruling the country alone, and all would be well. However, this was clearly not the case with Saddam, and I think that is what ultimately doomed him.

Granted, individual freedoms are much more emphasized in a democratic government, but they are not unique to it.

Answer 3

I don't see how Bush or anyone for that matter has the "right" to reform another country into democracy, they've been around longer than us, I think it should be up to the Muslims how they would like their country to be ran. To promote is one thing but to go in a form and reform with force is another.

Who cares if Clinton said yes to this question. Majority rules. Not past presidents. You don't have to follow and stand by everything a political figure says, we are human, we have minds of our own you silly man.

Answer 4

Essentially he has the right to promote and/or advocate it as does anyone else, the problem is that he is forcing a fascism on them for business purposes with an army that honestly believes that they are bringing democracy. If democracy is going to be imposed on or suggested to a nation or culture, sending an Army has defeated the stated purpose. In the case of the Iraq colonization (inaccurately referred to as the Iraqi War) the stated purpose is a front and a lie, that is put up because it is easier on the ears.

Answer 5

Do anarchists have more right to advocate brutal dictatorship or secular killings in that same muslim world? Democracy means whatever type of government the people of the region want should prevail whether we agree with them or not.

President Bush and the entire free world have every right to DEMAND democracy in all regions of the world.

Answer 6

Moderate Muslims would relish democracy and reform. The extremists are so violent because they fear a free system of government where they would lose their power. As the only super power in the world, President Bush is the spokesman for democracy and reform in a part of the world that suppresses individual freedom. It is an obligation all Americans should support.

Answer 7

Manifest destiny is the way of America. We promote this style of government because we believe in it (at least on the surface, anyway!). Bush is acting with the authority of the majority... Most of which think that everyone should have to right to get rich off the sweat of someone else, or that they should have the right to drive their rusted out pick-ups and inbreed. Either way, he has the right because Americans let him have the right by voting him in for FOUR MORE YEARS. Did someone sneak something into the water in the red states? Or use subliminal mind control stuff on the blue collar comedy tour? At any rate, this is the guy that America chose. God help us all.

Answer 8

Bush is not advocating anything; he is in fact IMPOSING democracy on the Muslim world. That is an important distinction. Not only does he not have the right to impose democracy on the Muslim world, it is fallacy that one can force a democracy to exist. In fact a coerced democracy is an oxymoron. Any successful democracy started as movement from within, not an act of militarism from with out.

For democracy to take hold and flourish several preexisting conditions must exist in a country. These conditions do not exist in Iraq. To compel a group of people to accept your brand of democracy is the equivalent of telling a woman that she must bear kids and love them by raping her so that she can reproduce.

Answer 9

Hell no! President Bush is in the hot seat right now for that very reason. One cannot push their political or religious views upon others. Obviously our Pres. has not read the constitution. Why do you think all of these other countries that used to be our friends are now mad at us because of our pres. policies? The middle east will not be forced to democracy, and that is part of the problem in Iraq. The Iraqis want their own gov't, but they really don't want democracy. Look at our country right now. Does democracy appeal to you?

Answer 10

I don't think Bush gives a rats a-s-s if democracy succeeds in the Middle East. . Remember the New World Order is daddy spoke of? That's what this is all about. Bush and the GOP want to control how much oil Europe and Asia receive.

Good point Amber, your right.

Answer 11

No one has the right to impose any form of government on any soverin country. The belief that democracy will caust peace in the middle east is not true. Democracy as being peaceful is no truer that any other form of government. Does our being a Democracy cause peace when we invade other countries for no legitimate reason?