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"My friends, a future of liberty stands before you. It is your right. It is your dream. And it is your destiny." These were the words of President Bush as he spoke about his goals for democracy in the Middle East, but with civil unrest pervading the region, the realization of those goals is very much in question. In a region with such a complex history and unique traditions, can democracy ever truly thrive?
You provide absolutely no logic or evidence for your claim that the "Arab-Islamic" Middle East is incompatible with democracy. Indeed, for a moment after decolonization there were stints of democracy, most of which were squandered by Cold War politics and US intervention (e.g. the British/US overthrow of the democratically elected Iranian government in Iran).
- js3262 September 22, 2008 11:26AM
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Not just Islamic theocracy. A Christian theocracy here in the United States is just as incompatible with democracy as an Islamic one.
That doesn't mean the vast majority of Middle Easterners can't be Islamic and the country be democratic. However, forcing out the existing theocracy will not bring democracy to the Middle East. Taking power away from the people and setting up a puppet government is not democracy.
- Blue Linchpin
December 18, 2008 8:50PM
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Christian democratic theocracies existed and did well for quite a while in Massachusetts. The Pilgrims were both democratic and a theocracy: To vote you had to be a member of the church, and apostasy and heresy could get you kicked out.
The problem with Islam is that it denies the possibility of separating church and state. A "good" Islamic government must be a theocracy, and this causes problems.
- MilitiaJim January 9, 2009 10:43AM
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You kind of point out the problem right there. Democratic theocracies? To vote you had to be a member of the Church?
I'm sorry, but basing votes on whether or not you're a member of their religion and do exactly like everyone else hardly sounds like a democracy. And whether or not you'd care to admit it, the words of "holy men" did and will have more weight
- Blue Linchpin January 12, 2009 11:15PM
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Democracy isn't possible at all in countries that follow Mohammed. I think the Dr. makes a logical point which even the most rudimentary historian would have to admit. History shows that Islam demands Oligarchy and empire building. The actions of musselmen throughout history show that they conquer and enslave all those who will not fight against them, and that any quarter they receive will be used against him that was foolish enough to grant it. Mohammed himself was a ruthless bandit who fashioned his god into a likeness of himself, and in return, this new god allah justified every heathen impulse of Mohammed. Mohammed took what he could by force, and cursed anyone who denied him his fleshly desires. Is it any wonder that Musselman heaven has so much to do with unnatural sex when mohammed himself was an honorless pedophile?
The enemy of civilization is not a religion of peace, but a justification of all the most abhorrent animal impulses of one man, Mohammed. Like any other disease, it eats and eats and kills and kills until all the good is gone, then moves on to ruin his neighbor.
No, democracy isn't possible until a society has purged muhammed and his teachings from the public square.
- Gregory December 2, 2009 2:47PM
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Knowing Dr. Bukay's views on the Arabs and Islam, I didn't expect any other answer from Dr.Bukay, so it's not surprising that he gave no reason for his claim. His writings are nothing but anti-Arab propaganda and not scholarship. I have an impression that he has nothing to say on the subject and that's why, instead of explaining his opinion, he started enumerating the constituents of democracy - of course, implying that those constituents absolutely unknown to the Middle East.
- Transgressor
January 20, 2010 10:09AM
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I didn't expect any other answer from Dr. Bukay. His writings are nothing but anti-Arab propaganda that has nothing to do with scholarship, so it comes as no surprise that he provided no solid arguments for his assertion. He lacks real knowledge of what he calls "The Middle Eastern Arab-Islamic culture" and has nothing to say on the subject, and that's the reason why, instead of explaining his point, he started enumerating the constituents of democracy - implying that those constituents are unknown to the Middle East.
- Transgressor January 20, 2010 10:24AM
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No one can decide that another country "wants" democracy . Democracy is something that only be achieved by people willing to fight for it.
- bertvan May 5, 2009 11:34AM
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Will you provide examples from Islamic teachings and beliefs that support your claim that "Islam stresses authoritarianism, submission, patrimonial rule and lack of freedoms?"
- crunchymom September 19, 2008 6:43PM
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Have you read the Bible and how it depicts government? It depicts God as the ultimate lawgiver, and even kings are subordinate to God. The people have no rights at all. When the people tried to rule themselves, they are depicted as incompetent or corrupt. So why did Christian dominated nations embrace democracy? Because they rejected religion as having absolute power over their lives. The same could happen to Islamic nations, but the problem is that Muslims in the Middle East are in the same state of absolutist politics and religious fanaticism as Christians were in during the Middle Ages. It may take several centuries for Muslims to work their way to secularism. Until then, we will have to accept that the Middle Eastern states will remain undemocratic.
- Dale Husband October 16, 2008 5:41PM
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Is Christianity against democracy? Gee, I don't know. Some Christians are. Some are not. Both sides can claim to have Biblical support for their views.
It's the same with Islam. There is no single Islamic opinion on democracy. Some Muslims are against democracy. Some are not. Both sides claim that Islamic teachings support their respective views. As I am not Muslim, I do not presume to be so arrogant as to judge which Muslims have the "right" interpretation of Islam.
- Kwiz December 8, 2008 8:48AM
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None of those who like to talk about Islam's alleged opposition to freedom, democracy and so on have never taken the trouble to explain to us what elements of Islam they see as an obstacle to freedom and democracy.
Where does Islam "stress patrimonial rule"? I haven't found any such prescriptions in Islamic sources. The notion of rights isn't at all alien to Islam: to the contrary, this notion plays an important role in Sharia. As for submission, in any state on earth citizens are required to submit to the authorities.
- Transgressor January 20, 2010 11:16AM
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Can Democracy Thrive in the Middle East?
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It is a must
We can debate the probability, but in the end, it is a must for the world to exist in peace. I believe the first steps are happening just by the decimination of information (TV, Internet, etc)and sharing of cultures.
- cyberview August 19, 2008 8:54AM
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Let's start at home first
Before you can tell others they should have democracy maybe the west should get some.
The US wants a world free for US business to flourish.
Both the US and UK have unpopular minority governments.
The UN declared that the US is not a democracy since the executive office seem to belong to a number of families (Bush, Clinton, Kennedy).
Set your own house in order before you lecture everyone else.
- Andrew Holt
August 30, 2008 6:38AM
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Not yet.
As long as religion and state are inbreeding in the Middle east - those countries will continue to deny individual rights to citizens. If it wasn't for Free countries such as the USA the middle east would still be a bunch of huts in the sand. Frankly the USA should go in there free the people and re instate individual rights. Islamic Totalitarianism is EVIL.
- selfish November 21, 2008 8:20PM
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I am middle eastern
i would like to remind you that Lebanon is a country in the middle east that has a democracy as the political system. I am not a muslim but Islam isn't evil, totalitarianism is evil. the problem isn't religion, it's people using religion to control the masses (and this doens't just happen in Islam).
"the middle east would still be a bunch of huts in the sand." The USA has not intervened in Dubai, which is a muslim state, and they are the furthest thing away from huts in the sand. If you ever get a chance to go there you would realize that it is extremely "free" and they have buildings that you wouldn't think could exist for another 50 years, for example they have the world's largest mall and the world's tallest building.
"If it wasn't for Free countries such as the USA..." the USA isn't that free if you think about it. gays don't have equal rights, minorities are looked at as inferiors, the government can listen in to your phone calls, abortion is looked down upon, marijuana is illegal, being an atheist is looked down upon. so yeah i wouldn't think that the USA is the best example of "free".
"Frankly the USA should go in there free the people..." is that what you think the USA is doing in the middle east????? these people are being tortured and killed, innocent people are being sent to guantanimo for SUSPECTED terrorism. The USA is just here in the middle east to steal oil and make some easy money, the last thing they care about is democracy.
BUT i also do not agree with many of the governments in the middle east, as a person that lives in kuwait (an extremely islamic country) i have experienced the supression by the ruling class. true there might be less individual rights in parts of the middle east than in the USA but that doesn't make the USA "free".
thank you
- khalife
February 20, 2009 1:19PM
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....
The function of religion is to control the masses - either by external force or by internal sacrifice. Religion is spiritual totalitarianism - its not hard to get a dictator to use religion to make political totalitarianism.
You are correct - America is socialist - and is moving closer to the totalitarianism you find in books such as Orwell's 1984. However - the constitutional republic that once was America was great and the principles are what brought America to the level it is today. The People at some point will revolt...we've done it before.
You speak of Gays, and minorities as if they are a different species......you contradict yourself....look at your premise. Gays and minorities are groups. Groups do not have rights....only individuals. Equal rights???? What is equal??? Looked on as inferior??? by whom??? Why do you care so much about what is looked down upon or what others think??? A totalitarian government can only survive when people sacrifice their body to rule the mind just like religion depends on sacrifice of the mind to rule the soul....
Evil has no power when the Good say "I refuse".
- selfish February 20, 2009 2:12PM
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It cannot, It will not!
It may be something that SHOULD happen, but it never will. Peace cannot, will not exist in this world, mainly due to the fact that we are all human. We have traits that prevent us from always doing the "right" thing, or keep us from trusting others. Democracy is the foundation of equal rights to those who percieve it that way. If other countries grew up living in their own form of government ie-socialism, facism, dictatorship etc. they will see democracy as an enemy that wants to destroy their way of living. Granted that some countries may want democracy, but some dont. Just because WE feel that its the most logical, ethical, or maybe even emotional way to govern a country does not mean that others feel the same. We cannot continue to push upon other countries our beliefs and standards of living, it is for them to choose and them only!
- Demosthenes
February 10, 2009 7:41AM
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Not anytime soon!
Democracy is based on the premise that all citizens are treated equally regardless of race, religion or gender.
Currently all majority Muslim countries (50), except for two, have Islamic law (Sharia) or a combination of Islamic and common law. This means that a minority (non-Muslims) in these countries have to abide by laws based on a religion not their own. Hence they are not treated equally. Not to mention that Islamic law also has clear differences regarding the rights and treatment of women.
So, for a legitimate democracy to flourish in the middle east, first they must adopt fair secular laws. I don't see that happening anytime soon.
- Lamamelk
February 18, 2009 2:46PM
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It is hard to imagine
But it can happen. It took hundreds of years to go from Locke, Hume and Spinoza until we saw Adams, Jefferson and Madison. And look at what we still have to face day in day out from the small but very vocal religious radicals here: they still don't get the fact that they aren't permitted to legislate their religious views. So, all my sympathies go out to all the freethinking, Enlightenment bound people in the Middle-East.
- mangueken
February 27, 2009 1:06PM
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