Middle East

[randolph]

By Ian Flecher

The revolts in the Middle East, however they ultimately turn out, are a stunning repudiation of the Bush Doctrine.
President Bush, if you recall, told us that our ultimate aim in invading places like Iraq and Afghanistan was to transition these and similar nations to democracy. Because making the world democratic was, supposedly, the only ultimately reliable way to make them friendly to us and thus keep us secure.
The problem, of course, is that even if democracy is a good thing, shoving it down somebody's throat at gunpoint is extremely likely to make them gag--simply because someone is shoving it down their throat.

The dramatic events in the Middle East demonstrate how our policies of supporting authoritarian regimes while spouting democracy is ultimately counter productive. If Egypt goes the way of Iran we are going to be in deep s--t. Saudi Arabia may be next.