Krauthammer: From Baghdad to Benghazi (The revolutions in the Middle East are exposing W’s critics)

National Review ^ | March 4, 2011 | Charles Krauthammer

[jonrick46]

You are correct. Without Capitalism, the engine of democracy, these sand jockeys are just running the Rolls Royce out into the desert until it runs out of gas. The desert is littered with men governed by the vapors of totalitarian oligarchy.

[Eleutheria5]

Don’t sweat it. I remember on 10th anniversary ceremony of the Berlin Wall falling, not one official so much as uttered the name Reagan. But who is remembered most in that connection?

[RFEngineer]

“I thought it would take 10 years for the American Public to reevaluate GWB and his contribution to the establishment of democracy and freedom in the Middle East and elsewhere.”

I think it’s a little premature to call Iraq and Afghanistan democracies. Even with our troops on site, Karzai still managed to corrupt the process in Afghanistan.

I also think it’s a bit presumptuous to call what is going on in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, and every other Arab hell-hole “democracy”.

In Egypt, protesters interviewed said they wanted more pay and bigger apartments. That’s hardly the stuff of democracies.

In virtually all of these countries the only thing that will change will be the name on the Swiss bank accounts where all the US foreign aid will end up.

Nation building was a bad idea when GWB was against it, it was a bad idea when he started doing it, and it’s still a bad idea today.

[Mustangman]

A key point you seem to be making is that if the Muslims get actual democracy, they will simply vote in something the west will have to fear.

This may well happen, but this would be good in some ways. Let me explain.

Today, when some dictator does something wretched, we are forced to hesitate in responding because we are noever sure if this man truly represents something the masses support. Now, if Muslim leader were elected on the platform of ‘invading Israel’ and then they he did it, we would have no problem in responding strongly. Even the lefties, would come along.

Second, I would expect the first few elections to be filled with vitriol for the west and heated with religious fervor. This is the only political speak the poor regular folk Muslims have ever heard. But, some where around the third or fourth election cycle, a prominent politician will stand up and say, “If you elect me, I’ll get you a job and better roads.” And, this message will actually resonate and make a lot more sense than always having to hate the Jews. I expect it to happen in Iraq fairly soon. I don’t what one’s culture is, people want to eat, have a safe healthy home, and give their children the best.

The bottom line is the principle of a free society with open debate and regular elections is the only thing we need to support and defend. What the Muslims do with it, is their business.....as it should be. Once they get rolling, a lot of this religious crap will die down.