Mark Steyn: The Arabs' Berlin Wall has crumbled

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 03/01/05 | Mark Steyn

[kenavi]

Anyone who doesn't recognize that Geo. Bush and the US Military are the prime movers behind all of these "reforms" is utterly blind.

Pres. Bush knows who The Prime Mover is. He made Mankind fundamentally good, when given the chance. U.S. Power gives Men this chance.

[lawgirl]

I cannot believe how fast the Middle East is falling into place. God's reward for his faithful servant- GWB!

[PowderJ]

You can almost hear the collective Noooooooooooooo!?! coming from the liberal elite. Wasn't it said that these people don't want to govern themselves...and simply aren't capable of such a system?

The beauty of what is unfolding is that its not being brought about by overt threats from G.W. The people are simply waking up and realizing that they deserve better.

[chiller]

Once freedom gets out of the box, there's no stuffing it back in. All these Mideast and even Euro countries are emboldening each other.

Hell, there might even be a backlash in America for those who have forgotten that the people run the govt., not vice versa.

[Nate1984]

It's really an incredible time to be alive

[bubman]

The arabs are crossing the proverbial Rubicon. May the river be shallow and the shore near!

[My2Cents]

You're probably right on that. But I've seen discussions here on FR since the election in which some have speculated whether one day Reagan will be compared favorably to W, rather than the other way around.

[Tamar1973]

Have you ever noticed that dictator ships come in clumps? That is because they depend on each other. Divide the clump and watch them fall.

That's why we have seen Syria and Iran trying to get kissy-kissy lately. Syria is a Baathist, Arab Socialist country and Iran is a Shia Theocracy. They have nothing else in common other than tyranny.

[Fudd Fan]

"Washington-Lincoln-FDR-Reagan-Bush
I believe that's how it'll shake out. I am no big fan of FDR, but I still don't see how you take him off. Hell, he was a huge influence on Reagan. Go figure. If all this stuff in the middle east shakes out like it looks like it might, then Bush will be added to that list. There, I said it."

Could not agree more. A prez for every century:
18th century WASHINGTON
19th century LINCOLN
20th century REAGAN
21st century BUSH YOWAZAH!
...and I DO want to leave out FDR. If Reagan said that FDR influenced him, then I believe him. Leave it to Ronnie to make lemonade out of lemons.

[My2Cents]

There are many great Steyn quotes in this one.

Yeah, I send Steyn's columns to a group of friends on my email address list, and tend to bold those passages that I think are particularly insightful. I nearly bolded this entire column!

[TheGeezer]

Anyone who doesn't recognize that Geo. Bush and the US Military are the prime movers behind all of these "reforms" is utterly blind.

I thought Steyn's piece was marvelously concise. Your post is also marvelously concise.

[King Prout]

misunderestimating the strategery ;)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hell, there might even be a backlash in America for those who have forgotten that the people run the govt., not vice versa.

Yes, wouldn't that be something to see!!!!

[Veto!]

Friedman was for going into Iraq but got shot down down down by his liberal media friends. If you read his columns during that time carefully, you'll see that many are quite good until the last couple of paragraphs, where his editors so obviously forced him to say, "Of course none of this reflects well on Bush who is still a stupid arrogant jerk."

I watched him being interviewed by Charlie Rose, who did exactly that to him, going so far as to shout and slam his hand on the table. "You don't mean that Bush is right!"

And so it goes in big media. Meanwhile, Steyn continues to shine unabated and undeterred.

[My2Cents]

Like the end of Cold War was "Gorbachev's doing," the DU'ers will claim that democracy in Lebanon...or Saudi Arabia, or Egypt, and eventually in Syria and Iran...has nothing to do with Bush's policy. However, about 75% of Americans will make the connection.

[My2Cents]

I have often wondered, after 9/11, who in the White House first mentioned the WOT would eventually be won my destabilizing the ME

I'm guessing it wasn't Colin Powell.

[My2Cents]

Gee! Democracy's even spreading on DU!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Little dictators support group?

Iran might be leaving the club sooner then expected. The people seem to be speaking from what I have heard recently.

[Eurotwit]

It was probably Wolfowitz.

Cheers.