Noam
03-02-2004, 01:04 AM
Arabs need to modernize, to move away from dictatorship and tyranny. They need to give their people more freedom, modern education, modern life, free speech, open communication......
THe Dictators do not want to do it.
So they use the Israeli Palestinian conflict as the "CAUSE". Only when that conflict will be solved--will they be "free" to attend to internal strifes.
"...The Arab-Israeli conflict paradox. Nothing can change unless this issue is resolved, but Arab states ensure that it is not resolved by refusing compromise, backing terrorism, and letting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sabotage any chance for progress."....
2. They also use America and state-sponsored xenophobia. America is the "imperialist invader"....
"...Are Arab regimes doing the US a favor if they consider treating their own people better? "????
3. They use "...Arab and Islamic "specificity." When it suits them mainstream Arab intellectuals and journalists rage that the West talks about them as if they were "different." But other times the nationalists claim the requirements of Arab identity and Islam require a different system of government and society."...
4. They claim that "...stability being more important than democracy "... yes---but what has that to do with HUMAN RIGHTS???
This is all BLOWING SMOKE!
"...Is reform a favor to America for which some price should be extracted? The truly important issue is not what US policy should be on promoting democratization but rather the policy of the Arab rulers.
On this point, Powell is right: Change must come from the inside, and that is exactly why there isn't going to be any for a long time. "....
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1078113575476
THe Dictators do not want to do it.
So they use the Israeli Palestinian conflict as the "CAUSE". Only when that conflict will be solved--will they be "free" to attend to internal strifes.
"...The Arab-Israeli conflict paradox. Nothing can change unless this issue is resolved, but Arab states ensure that it is not resolved by refusing compromise, backing terrorism, and letting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sabotage any chance for progress."....
2. They also use America and state-sponsored xenophobia. America is the "imperialist invader"....
"...Are Arab regimes doing the US a favor if they consider treating their own people better? "????
3. They use "...Arab and Islamic "specificity." When it suits them mainstream Arab intellectuals and journalists rage that the West talks about them as if they were "different." But other times the nationalists claim the requirements of Arab identity and Islam require a different system of government and society."...
4. They claim that "...stability being more important than democracy "... yes---but what has that to do with HUMAN RIGHTS???
This is all BLOWING SMOKE!
"...Is reform a favor to America for which some price should be extracted? The truly important issue is not what US policy should be on promoting democratization but rather the policy of the Arab rulers.
On this point, Powell is right: Change must come from the inside, and that is exactly why there isn't going to be any for a long time. "....
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1078113575476