Maybe the Middle East wasn't founded on democratic principles, and maybe they don't respect them. Is it...

Question

legitimate to believe democracy will save them? Or is democracy like religion: good for some, not for others? Cultural differences are legitimate and not to be ignored.

Answer 1

In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

Do you enjoin others to do what is good and forget your ownselves, while you read the book? Will you not then understand?

And when it is said to them, 'Create not disorder in the earth,' they say, 'We are only promoters of peace.'

And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors.

And fight in the cause of Allah and know that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

They cannot harm you save that they may cause you slight hurt; and if they fight you, they will turn their backs to you. Then they shall not be helped.

Holy Quran

Answer 2

Democracy has been embraced by people of all cultures and eras. In Iraq, over 80% of the population took a real risk to vote in two free elections. Democracy is not like a religion. The need for personal freedom is shared by all people.

If there is any question about whether democracy will save countries in the Middle East, just compare Israel, the region's only true democracy, with any other Arab country. Despite the fact that Israel has few natural resources and no oil wealth, and despite the fact that it must pay a tremendous cost for security, the average Israeli citizen enjoys a much higher standard of living than the citizens of any of the Arab theocracies. If you consider Muslim countries like Turkey and Afghanistan, it is clear that the countries did much better with democracy than theocracy.

It is not the place of the U.S. or any other country to force democracy on any other nation. True democracy succeeds when it comes from within a country (Eastern Europe in the 1990's is an example).

The reason that we (the U.S.) are attempting (albeit poorly) to create a democracy in Iraq is not to save the Iraqi's. It is to save us.

Virtually all of the international terrorism in the world, especially the kind that seeks weapons of mass destruction, comes from radical Islamists from Arab theocracies. The hopeless conditions that devalue human life occur mainly in brutal, autocratic societies. In the Middle East, you have theocracies that have used religion as a way to channel the anger of their citizens. This is where people are willing to turn to a life of terror and mothers are even willing to sacrifice their children to "martyrdom" as suicide bombers.

If (this is a big "if") strong democracies formed in the heart of the Middle East, there would be a much smaller haven for terrorism. Since it is not possible to protect everyone from every possible type of terrorism, it is inevitable that many more people will be killed by terrorists. It is possible and even likely that terrorists will one day deliver a nuclear attack on a major American city. This is why we must change the environment in which terrorism forms.

Nearly every country in the world comes from a culture that was not founded on democratic principles. All of the democracies in Europe were originally monarchies. The same is true throughout the world. The only modern countries that were truly founded on democratic principles are the U.S. and other former colonies that chose democratic governments after fighting for their independence.

Answer 3

Europe was also not founded on Democratic principles.

Give them time not all hope is lost on Democracy in the Middle East it just might take a few decades and wars...

Answer 4

ANY form of government will work as long as the economics fit. If people are starving and homeless they are going to reject the government that does not support thier welfare. Democracy will work in the Middle East when we are able provide some bread and shelter. People do not bite the hand that feeds them.