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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RMF who wrote (198482)	8/22/2006 11:14:28 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Hawk..would you like to see an immediate free and fair democracy in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Egypt, Kuwait and Jordan? Immediate? No. A continuous process wherein viable opposition groups, to include secular and modernist political parties, having the ability to run in local elections and provide alternative political ideas and swear allegiance to concept of democracy over their own political aspirations? Yes. I have no illusions about turning Saudi Arabia into a democratic utopia overnight. And I certainly don't desire to see another "Hamas" situation where a non-democratic party is elected and immediately seeks to undermine the democratic process and political opposition. The foundation for Democratic reform takes time, education, respect for individual human rights, and the guardianship of a free press. None of this is going to happen at once, without a major revolution that utterly destroys the previous power structure, and recreates a democratic one in its place. I'd like to see Saudi Arabia become a constitutional monarchy, as in the case of Jordan. Jordan, contrary to your assertion, is democratic to a large degree. They have the democratic institutions in place, but what they still require is the development and enforcement of a rule of law that makes the democratic institution function properly. usaidjordan.org It has taken the US over 200 years to come to level of democratic maturity that we have, and it will always be a work in progress. As for Egypt, they have the same problem. They have a constitutional government, but their rule of law is not established and enforced equitably and with the aim of eliminating corruption. Democracy is the ONLY FORM OF LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT. Any other form is merely an evolved form of "gangsterism", where the most powerful faction is able to dominate their rivals. Hawk