Small Notes

Submitted by Bilal (Canada), Feb 21, 2010 at 12:48

Sarkouzy judegment is not based on human rights in Turkey, it is based on Islamophobia. If Turkey entered the EU, all the factories in Europe will be moved to Turkey. Also, Turkey has a big figure of highly educated students ( not only in Turkey but in the world). Therefore, Europeans will face big competition in the job market. Similiar to what happened when Poland joind the EU, and the educated citizens moved to Poland. I encourage Turkey to look for the East becuase all its interest are there ( with China, Iran, India, Russia, and Gulf Council Countries). I am sure Turkey can bring alot of economic stability and profitability to their people by dealing with these countries, and they are better off with the EU espcially now.

I disagree about the point that Lebanon, and Israel are the best examples for the democracy in the middle east. To start with, there is no democracy even in the United States ( but that is another topic). Lebanon is not based on the pure democratic values, the regime is controlled by bigger countries such as Iran, Syria, United States and Saudi Arabia. I believe Lebanese people will not take control of their own country since it is a small country with a very sensitive demographics. However, the civil war that burnned Lebanon down, was not religious, but it was about taking power, and the one who takes the power would get control of the cash flow in the country. Example: Muslims were fighting each other , and Christians were fighting Christians. Sometimes a Muslim party allied with a Christian party to eliminate it.

The second point is about Israel. There is no chance Isreal be a democractic country. Israel is established because of religious cause Judiasm. So both can not be interchangable. Also, I wonder what equality is the author talking about when the population of 48 are suffering from inequality and oppression (note the population of 48 consist of Muslims , Christians, and Jews whose great grand fathers lived there). There are plenty of daily baises example that examplifies the Israeli government about breaking the basic rules of democracy.

To conclude this part, the democracy in Lebanon and Isreal is fake democracy controlled by powerfull countries, militarlly, and racism.

To begin with the Arab states, I have to agree about the human rights issue that is a big issue over this part of the world. However, you can not neglect the fact that the governments are educating the people, and the region is a multi-cultural hub of 180 nationalities. Further more, I believe there is a part of democracy in parts of the region ( Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Kuwait) were expats enjoy the luxury of life and doing what they want as long as does not break the public law. As for the religion freedom, let us be true about it, the expats (which is a big part of the population) are there to work only, and not settle their whole life. In addition to that, they do not efforts to legalize building churches or temples or even worship-house places, because they just want to work there. I watched a documentary about Saudi Arabia, and I liked what the interviewee said: "the government moves with the pace of its people, and not the opposite. We have alot to catch up with the West in technology, healthcare, human rights, but we can not take everything from the Western values , that even the West if fed up from".

Let me start discussing the Islamic reformation. First, the last thing muslims want is a Westerner teaching thier own values. It does not go like this. Few fact to consider, the majority of the muslim countries are facing wars or having unstablized political situation. The people do not want the corrupted governments that are placed by dominating powers from the west like US, and they do not want fundamentalists who want to establish law that has nothing to do with Islam or its core values. Question: Whom people turn to when the government is oppressing them? Yes this is an anger wave in the middle-east from Morroco to Eygpt , to Iraq and finally Iran. This anger will turn in to violence if the governments do not listen to their needs. Some of these oppressive countries are supported by Us or the West: such as Morroco, Algeria, TUNIS, EYGPT, Saudi Arabia, JORDAN, Pakistan, and IRAQ. The facts state that US does not care about promoting democracy as placing a regime that is supporting it is political and economical interests. You want democracy in the Middle-East? It will never happen because it will damage the interests of the West. Put the people in power, the first thing to be done will be : Closing the Suiyse Channel which will block big volumes of trades shipped from India, China, and Oil crude shipped from the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain will stop the oil export to the dominating powers unless they changed their attitude.

There will be many steps taken , but those two steps would change the balance of power 180 degrees.

In the end , I just want to say the Author should be thankful that there is no democracy in the middle east because he would not be able to write this article if there is.

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