Saad Ibrahim on the 'rough birth of democracy' in the Middle East

A valuable article appears today in the Washington Post by former prisoner of conscience and long-time democracy activist Saad Ibrahim. Here's the full link.

As usual, Professor Ibrahim assesses the current situation with a balanced, nuanced and penetrating perspective. While he praises the Bush administration for its pro-democracy rhetoric, he is sharp in his criticism of them for actions that undermine the rhetoric and for pulling back when democracy leads to the election of people they don't like. While he admits the Israelis have been provoked, he also is sharp for their military response as undermining the future of democracy, which is the one and true hope for long-term peace and stability in the region.

Ibrahim also notes that the alleged turn to radical Islam in the Arab world, which frightens so many in the West, is more complicated. Pointing to public opinion surveys, he notes that none of the Arab government leaders enjoy anything resembling popular support. He concludes with an important message:

"The Arab people do not respect the ruling regimes, perceiving them to be autocratic, corrupt and inept. They are, at best, ambivalent about the fanatical Islamists of the bin Laden variety. More mainstream Islamists with broad support, developed civic dispositions and services to provide are the most likely actors in building a new Middle East. In fact, they are already doing so through the Justice and Development Party in Turkey, the similarly named PJD in Morocco, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hamas in Palestine and, yes, Hezbollah in Lebanon.

These groups, parties and movements are not inimical to democracy. They have accepted electoral systems and practiced electoral politics, probably too well for Washington's taste. Whether we like it or not, these are the facts. The rest of the Western world must come to grips with the new reality, even if the U.S. president and his secretary of state continue to reject the new offspring of their own policies."