Chris Adamo
Futility of Middle East efforts at "democracy"
By Chris Adamo
After nine days of "voting present" on the chaos in Libya, Barack Obama has now decided to vocally condemn the brutish tactics of Colonel Moammar Kadafi, its dictatorial ruler for the past four decades. The proper interpretation of Obama's sudden change of heart is that he now believes that Kadafi's ouster is imminent, and wants to be in league with those who have risen up against him.
With countless disturbing similarities, Libya is going the way of Egypt. And the burgeoning groundswell of anti-government sentiments throughout the region strongly suggests that the upheaval will not be limited to these two countries. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen are experiencing their own growing displays of dissatisfaction from commoners on the street, who unmistakably entertain notions of regime change.
Neither brutal crackdowns nor attempts at appeasement have succeeded in dissipating the energy of the masses, though both tactics have been tried by increasingly desperate national leaders. Change is coming to the region, as long-standing political dynasties increasingly threaten to fall like dominoes.
Not surprisingly, every starry eyed dupe of the American left, and all of their propagandists in the liberal media, are waiting in breathless anticipation of the unfolding utopia that they inanely believe will blossom and flourish this time around in the aftermath of the turmoil. These national commotions represent the coalescing of common peoples into a major political force which, as we all know, is the essence of democracy. And what could possibly be better for everyone involved than that?
In the mind of the pathologically naive and ideologically blind, only wonderment and bliss can redound from any and every situation in which "the majority" of a given populace gets its way. After all, that is the foundation of the government that has served this nation and made it free and prosperous to a degree never before witnessed in the course of the human race. At least that is the version of "history" that is now being proffered by the left.
It is truly unfortunate that enormous oppression and suffering will follow, comprising the incontrovertible evidence that this formula for the establishment of societal paradise cannot and will not work. More to the point, it is criminally reprehensible that America's liberals will deliberately ignore present and past circumstances which do not support such a ludicrous contention. Yet the glaring inconsistencies of their selective coverage of these tumultuous events stand as proof that they are agenda driven, and perfectly willing to see the lives of innumerable common citizens devastated in the process of establishing this shining new order.
At this propitious time the facts, both current and historical, need to be revisited. The primary purpose being to debunk the simplistic and futile recipe for disaster that is being promised and in many cases, covertly promoted by Islamist insurgents and supported by the liberal establishment in this country. In the long term, the case that can inarguably be made between those promised goals and the grim consequences of the current course of action throughout the region should be cited ever after as a clarion call to the American people, many of whom believe they can bring about similar change in this country on the same terms.
To begin with, America is not, and never has been, a "democracy." Every brutish movement in human history, aside from those imposed by forceful outside conquests, was at its outset "democratic" in nature, insofar as it is popularly supported by its participants. In truth, among many civilizations little else was ever possible, since the very nature of some cultures predisposed them to such ends. And as the world will witness in coming weeks and months, this is still the case.
In stark contrast, America was deliberately and determinedly established as a representative republic, by which the Founders in their wisdom installed a series of critically important firewalls against the ravages of brief swings in the mood and goals of the citizenry. But it was understood that for this approach to work the inherent morals and ethics of the American people must be maintained as the ultimate safeguard of the universal justice and freedom they enjoyed. And the defining substance of those principles was the Judeo-Christian principles on which the nation was founded. Absent those defenses, America was no more immune to a descent into despotism and oppression than the most barbarian of states.
Despite the disingenuous rewrites of history that now ensue with monotonous regularity, this was the ingredient of the American experiment that set it completely apart from all other efforts to enshrine freedom among its people. And this is the element that is wholly missing from those regime changes that are currently unfolding in the Middle East.
Respect and devotion to the inherent (God-given) rights of others to live free and pursue their own destinies are not automatic beliefs, nor are they foundational precepts of devoutly Islamic cultures. In their place, the ability of the strong to oppress the weak, deemed innately "right" by mere virtue of its existence, will guarantee that no matter which faction ultimately prevails in the aftermath of any given revolution, it will thereafter foster its own interests at the expense of the weak.
In 1979 the people of Iran threw off the yoke of Shah Pahlavi. But in its place they instituted, by majority vote, the hideous oppression and iron-fisted piety of the Ayatollahs under which they have grievously suffered to a far greater degree ever since. In recent years, this nightmare has been abetted by such despots as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Though a groundswell of dissatisfaction with the current rulers of Iran effervesces and seethes, it is regularly crushed by those in power.
The plight of these unfortunate people, while completely ignored by Obama and his leftist minions, should serve as a grim warning to any in that region, and throughout the world, who believe that such barbarism might be the glorious avenue to liberation.
© Chris Adamo
February 25, 2011
After nine days of "voting present" on the chaos in Libya, Barack Obama has now decided to vocally condemn the brutish tactics of Colonel Moammar Kadafi, its dictatorial ruler for the past four decades. The proper interpretation of Obama's sudden change of heart is that he now believes that Kadafi's ouster is imminent, and wants to be in league with those who have risen up against him.
With countless disturbing similarities, Libya is going the way of Egypt. And the burgeoning groundswell of anti-government sentiments throughout the region strongly suggests that the upheaval will not be limited to these two countries. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen are experiencing their own growing displays of dissatisfaction from commoners on the street, who unmistakably entertain notions of regime change.
Neither brutal crackdowns nor attempts at appeasement have succeeded in dissipating the energy of the masses, though both tactics have been tried by increasingly desperate national leaders. Change is coming to the region, as long-standing political dynasties increasingly threaten to fall like dominoes.
Not surprisingly, every starry eyed dupe of the American left, and all of their propagandists in the liberal media, are waiting in breathless anticipation of the unfolding utopia that they inanely believe will blossom and flourish this time around in the aftermath of the turmoil. These national commotions represent the coalescing of common peoples into a major political force which, as we all know, is the essence of democracy. And what could possibly be better for everyone involved than that?
In the mind of the pathologically naive and ideologically blind, only wonderment and bliss can redound from any and every situation in which "the majority" of a given populace gets its way. After all, that is the foundation of the government that has served this nation and made it free and prosperous to a degree never before witnessed in the course of the human race. At least that is the version of "history" that is now being proffered by the left.
It is truly unfortunate that enormous oppression and suffering will follow, comprising the incontrovertible evidence that this formula for the establishment of societal paradise cannot and will not work. More to the point, it is criminally reprehensible that America's liberals will deliberately ignore present and past circumstances which do not support such a ludicrous contention. Yet the glaring inconsistencies of their selective coverage of these tumultuous events stand as proof that they are agenda driven, and perfectly willing to see the lives of innumerable common citizens devastated in the process of establishing this shining new order.
At this propitious time the facts, both current and historical, need to be revisited. The primary purpose being to debunk the simplistic and futile recipe for disaster that is being promised and in many cases, covertly promoted by Islamist insurgents and supported by the liberal establishment in this country. In the long term, the case that can inarguably be made between those promised goals and the grim consequences of the current course of action throughout the region should be cited ever after as a clarion call to the American people, many of whom believe they can bring about similar change in this country on the same terms.
To begin with, America is not, and never has been, a "democracy." Every brutish movement in human history, aside from those imposed by forceful outside conquests, was at its outset "democratic" in nature, insofar as it is popularly supported by its participants. In truth, among many civilizations little else was ever possible, since the very nature of some cultures predisposed them to such ends. And as the world will witness in coming weeks and months, this is still the case.
In stark contrast, America was deliberately and determinedly established as a representative republic, by which the Founders in their wisdom installed a series of critically important firewalls against the ravages of brief swings in the mood and goals of the citizenry. But it was understood that for this approach to work the inherent morals and ethics of the American people must be maintained as the ultimate safeguard of the universal justice and freedom they enjoyed. And the defining substance of those principles was the Judeo-Christian principles on which the nation was founded. Absent those defenses, America was no more immune to a descent into despotism and oppression than the most barbarian of states.
Despite the disingenuous rewrites of history that now ensue with monotonous regularity, this was the ingredient of the American experiment that set it completely apart from all other efforts to enshrine freedom among its people. And this is the element that is wholly missing from those regime changes that are currently unfolding in the Middle East.
Respect and devotion to the inherent (God-given) rights of others to live free and pursue their own destinies are not automatic beliefs, nor are they foundational precepts of devoutly Islamic cultures. In their place, the ability of the strong to oppress the weak, deemed innately "right" by mere virtue of its existence, will guarantee that no matter which faction ultimately prevails in the aftermath of any given revolution, it will thereafter foster its own interests at the expense of the weak.
In 1979 the people of Iran threw off the yoke of Shah Pahlavi. But in its place they instituted, by majority vote, the hideous oppression and iron-fisted piety of the Ayatollahs under which they have grievously suffered to a far greater degree ever since. In recent years, this nightmare has been abetted by such despots as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Though a groundswell of dissatisfaction with the current rulers of Iran effervesces and seethes, it is regularly crushed by those in power.
The plight of these unfortunate people, while completely ignored by Obama and his leftist minions, should serve as a grim warning to any in that region, and throughout the world, who believe that such barbarism might be the glorious avenue to liberation.
© Chris Adamo
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
