The real question is "Has democracy been defeated in the Middle East?"
The world witnessed the power of violence when Wall Street plummeted following the attacks on the USA of September 11, 2001. It is all too clear in a world connected through financial markets where is the greatest strength of jihadists, in combat or in the fiscal stability of a country? Without a defensive force to protect sovereignty a country has no future. It either needs it's own military or strong alliances.
In the case of Lebanon, there is at least one member of the government unafraid to point to the fact the country has an uncertain future without reining in faux priorities.
June 12, 2014 07:30 PM
...The Future bloc (click here) has refused to approve the new salary scale before proper means to finance the increase are established, arguing that Lebanon’s ailing economy cannot tolerate more debt.
“They want to appear as though they are the only ones defending the rights of the people ... Is Hezbollah aiming to take advantage of these popular demands to force the collapse of the socioeconomic reality?” said Hariri.
“Is Hezbollah aiming to bankrupt the Treasury to push the country to accept a conference to reconsider the political system under the pretext of the failure of both the political and economic system?"
Although Hezbollah has denied allegations that the party is seeking a new three-way power-sharing formula to replace the current one, which gives equal weight to Muslims and Christians, its rivals continue to accuse the group of seeking to change the governing system....
Lebanon is a proving ground for trends of violence post election and how a country can fall into destructive methods that defeats freedom in the face of radical religious views.
Democracy and the hopes of having an open forum for all people is not the problem in the Middle East. It is the fact democracy (as is the trend in the USA as example) is taking a back seat to religious preference and influence gained through government power structures.
June 14, 2014 12:38 AM
By Hussein Dakroub
...Lebanese concerns over the events in Iraq stem (click here) from the fact that ISIS and other Al-Qaeda-linked groups claimed responsibility for the deadly car bombings and suicide attacks earlier this year that targeted areas where Hezbollah enjoys broad support, in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa region, in response to the party’s military intervention in Syria on the side of President Bashar Assad.
Berri warned of the grave developments in Iraq, calling for measures to shield Lebanon against any negative fallout.
“I hope that what is happening there will constitute an incentive for us as Lebanese of all [political] trends to close ranks in order to protect Lebanon and shield it against the region’s storms,” Berri told As-Safir newspaper.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam also voiced concerns over ISIS’ military advances, saying the Cabinet reviewed the situation during its Thursday meeting, but did not discuss taking any specific measures....
In Egypt, Morsi attempted to separate religion from government by officially stepping outside the Muslim Brotherhood for his presidential run. It worked. People hoped and believed he was the one who could quell the violence and bring factions of society together. The Egyptians attempted to bring it's society away from victimizing that resulted in violence.
Where Morsi failed was to allow those in positions he appointed to carry out priorities foreign to his presidential campaign. The victims then became the subjects of Sharia influence and the people turned against him. Morsi was unable to maintain a secular government. In doing so he failed the very people that placed faith in him.
Now, in Iraq, we are witnessing a Shi'ite government under attack by Sunni rebels from Syria (I remind Assad is Alwite, a branch of Shia (click here)). We know that those affiliated with strong opposition have a greater capacity because of continued al Qaeda influence in the region. The only reason to identify these groups as al Qaeda is for political perks in the USA. Osama bin Laden is dead and the original group of 'the base' have met their maker. There is no such thing as 'the base' any longer. What there is are reincarnations of a proven strategy against The West and evidently other religions spawned by a protracted and illegal war in Iraq.
Democracy is a strange form of government. It requires it's citizens to participate in 'an understanding' about their lives. In the USA for all the differences that exist among citizens we find humor in it. In the case of Middle East religions there is no humor in difference.
Can democracy be an answer in the Middle East? It would seem not yet. Will people of different governance ever be as free in thought and actions as in The West? There is an answer to that. It is a well constructed understanding that democracy happens over time, not by a war of imposition. What has occurred in the Middle East in the name of democracy and elections has been repeated many times in many other nations. It was evident in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. It is still evident under Assad. Democracy is the joke and the people only confused about their future.
The best example I can provide to the progression to democracy by any country is Brazil. And yet today, we are still seeing struggles of the impoverished and working class to express their unhappiness with their government. But, then in the year 2014, the USA is plagued with the very same occurrence. Is Brazil still not a democracy and a world class power? That. Is a very good question.
The world witnessed the power of violence when Wall Street plummeted following the attacks on the USA of September 11, 2001. It is all too clear in a world connected through financial markets where is the greatest strength of jihadists, in combat or in the fiscal stability of a country? Without a defensive force to protect sovereignty a country has no future. It either needs it's own military or strong alliances.
In the case of Lebanon, there is at least one member of the government unafraid to point to the fact the country has an uncertain future without reining in faux priorities.
June 12, 2014 07:30 PM
| The Daily Star |
...The Future bloc (click here) has refused to approve the new salary scale before proper means to finance the increase are established, arguing that Lebanon’s ailing economy cannot tolerate more debt.
“They want to appear as though they are the only ones defending the rights of the people ... Is Hezbollah aiming to take advantage of these popular demands to force the collapse of the socioeconomic reality?” said Hariri.
“Is Hezbollah aiming to bankrupt the Treasury to push the country to accept a conference to reconsider the political system under the pretext of the failure of both the political and economic system?"
Although Hezbollah has denied allegations that the party is seeking a new three-way power-sharing formula to replace the current one, which gives equal weight to Muslims and Christians, its rivals continue to accuse the group of seeking to change the governing system....
Lebanon is a proving ground for trends of violence post election and how a country can fall into destructive methods that defeats freedom in the face of radical religious views.
Democracy and the hopes of having an open forum for all people is not the problem in the Middle East. It is the fact democracy (as is the trend in the USA as example) is taking a back seat to religious preference and influence gained through government power structures.
June 14, 2014 12:38 AM
By Hussein Dakroub
| The Daily Star |
...Lebanese concerns over the events in Iraq stem (click here) from the fact that ISIS and other Al-Qaeda-linked groups claimed responsibility for the deadly car bombings and suicide attacks earlier this year that targeted areas where Hezbollah enjoys broad support, in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa region, in response to the party’s military intervention in Syria on the side of President Bashar Assad.
Berri warned of the grave developments in Iraq, calling for measures to shield Lebanon against any negative fallout.
“I hope that what is happening there will constitute an incentive for us as Lebanese of all [political] trends to close ranks in order to protect Lebanon and shield it against the region’s storms,” Berri told As-Safir newspaper.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam also voiced concerns over ISIS’ military advances, saying the Cabinet reviewed the situation during its Thursday meeting, but did not discuss taking any specific measures....
In Egypt, Morsi attempted to separate religion from government by officially stepping outside the Muslim Brotherhood for his presidential run. It worked. People hoped and believed he was the one who could quell the violence and bring factions of society together. The Egyptians attempted to bring it's society away from victimizing that resulted in violence.
Where Morsi failed was to allow those in positions he appointed to carry out priorities foreign to his presidential campaign. The victims then became the subjects of Sharia influence and the people turned against him. Morsi was unable to maintain a secular government. In doing so he failed the very people that placed faith in him.
Now, in Iraq, we are witnessing a Shi'ite government under attack by Sunni rebels from Syria (I remind Assad is Alwite, a branch of Shia (click here)). We know that those affiliated with strong opposition have a greater capacity because of continued al Qaeda influence in the region. The only reason to identify these groups as al Qaeda is for political perks in the USA. Osama bin Laden is dead and the original group of 'the base' have met their maker. There is no such thing as 'the base' any longer. What there is are reincarnations of a proven strategy against The West and evidently other religions spawned by a protracted and illegal war in Iraq.
Democracy is a strange form of government. It requires it's citizens to participate in 'an understanding' about their lives. In the USA for all the differences that exist among citizens we find humor in it. In the case of Middle East religions there is no humor in difference.
Can democracy be an answer in the Middle East? It would seem not yet. Will people of different governance ever be as free in thought and actions as in The West? There is an answer to that. It is a well constructed understanding that democracy happens over time, not by a war of imposition. What has occurred in the Middle East in the name of democracy and elections has been repeated many times in many other nations. It was evident in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. It is still evident under Assad. Democracy is the joke and the people only confused about their future.
The best example I can provide to the progression to democracy by any country is Brazil. And yet today, we are still seeing struggles of the impoverished and working class to express their unhappiness with their government. But, then in the year 2014, the USA is plagued with the very same occurrence. Is Brazil still not a democracy and a world class power? That. Is a very good question.
