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winterbadgerhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4602904.stm
I hate to agree with Mr Howard, but democracy alone is not the answer, and Mr Bush and Mr Blair are either foolish or disingenuous to suggest it is.
Democracy in countries that do not have it will make them more... democratic. But it will not make them more progressive, or more peaceful, or more pluralistic if their populations do not have those values to begin with. One of Pakistan's enduring problems, as I understand it, is that pro-western, moderate leaders are often rejected in the polls in favour of radically conservative Islamists. Of course the constant interference by the military isn't ideal, but at least at thispoint it's preventing more radical, anti-Western elements from taking hold.
And, in the final analysis, even the emergence of democratic, progressive, pluralistic governments may not mean good news automatically for Western foreign policies. If the interests of Iran, say, or an independent, democratic Iraq are truly at odds with ours, will that make Mr Bush and Mr Blair happy? Looking at the atrocious state of US-Turkish relations, I beg leave to doubt it.
I hate to agree with Mr Howard, but democracy alone is not the answer, and Mr Bush and Mr Blair are either foolish or disingenuous to suggest it is.
Democracy in countries that do not have it will make them more... democratic. But it will not make them more progressive, or more peaceful, or more pluralistic if their populations do not have those values to begin with. One of Pakistan's enduring problems, as I understand it, is that pro-western, moderate leaders are often rejected in the polls in favour of radically conservative Islamists. Of course the constant interference by the military isn't ideal, but at least at thispoint it's preventing more radical, anti-Western elements from taking hold.
And, in the final analysis, even the emergence of democratic, progressive, pluralistic governments may not mean good news automatically for Western foreign policies. If the interests of Iran, say, or an independent, democratic Iraq are truly at odds with ours, will that make Mr Bush and Mr Blair happy? Looking at the atrocious state of US-Turkish relations, I beg leave to doubt it.
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Date: 2006-01-11 08:40 pm (UTC)If the interests of Iran, say, or an independent, democratic Iraq are truly at odds with ours, will that make Mr Bush and Mr Blair happy? Looking at the atrocious state of US-Turkish relations, I beg leave to doubt it.
This is something I've been thinking about for a long time. We can't force an elected democratic govenment to choose the type of government we want them to. If the values aren't there they aren't there. Cultures and ideas are different. It's good to give them a chance to vote democratically, but when it comes down to it, we can't force someone to vote the way we would like.