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A question
Reader comment on item: Can Hezbollah and Hamas Be Democratic?
Submitted by David Jones (United States), Mar 22, 2005 at 11:43
Mr. Pipes, I'd like to preface that I genarally agree with your perspective on our world. Since 9/11 I have been following activities and studying histories in order to be informed about what needs to be done to defend the USA.My question is this: regarding your latest bulletin concerning the banning of totalitarian salafist parties in new middle eastern democracies, how do we explain that pro-western totalitarian governments have been and are ok?
David Jones
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".
Daniel Pipes replies:
"Pro-western totalitarian governments"? It's not a long list. And if you do come up with some examples, I would reply that barring exceptional circumstances, Western states should not make common cause with totalitarians.DP
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Reader comments (56) on this item
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Title | Commenter | Date | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It is now Feb 2010, 5 yrs. after the question was asked "Can hamas be democratic?" it is still , NO ! ! ! [100 words] | Phil Greend | Feb 11, 2010 02:00 | 168777 | ||
 When democracy becomes inconvenient [91 words] | Joshua Issac | Aug 9, 2012 14:56 | 168777 | ||
| Hitler & Allende [104 words] | Frank K. Bello | Jan 28, 2006 06:09 | 32903 | ||
| Compare with Communists [394 words] | Tara Maya | May 31, 2005 01:03 | 22485 | ||
| Thanks to Arlinda De Angelis ,Mr Octavio Johanson and to Rachel [124 words] | Haddad Alfred | Apr 2, 2005 10:06 | 21304 | ||
| Additional Terrorist Examples [82 words] | Abraham Irwin | Mar 30, 2005 10:41 | 21245 | ||
| In answer to Ms Arlinda DeAngelis [51 words] | Rachelle | Mar 29, 2005 12:45 | 21201 | ||
| Some questions [181 words] | Rachelle | Mar 28, 2005 04:57 | 21187 | ||
| For Rachelle [8 words] | stuart opotowsky | Jan 18, 2008 18:50 | 21187 | ||
| In response to Haddad [36 words] | Arlinda DeAngelis | Mar 26, 2005 20:46 | 21179 | ||
| Bravo ! [42 words] | Haddad | Mar 26, 2005 14:32 | 21174 | ||
| 1 | Democracy vs. Autocracy [48 words] | Ben Leitner | Mar 26, 2005 03:02 | 21170 | |
| Reality [156 words] | Bob | Mar 25, 2005 15:33 | 21169 | ||
| What price democracy without LAW ? [211 words] | Jon | Mar 24, 2005 11:14 | 21159 | ||
| Examples of democratically elected totalitarians. [80 words] | John Vander Voort | Mar 24, 2005 10:04 | 21158 | ||
| Hindu suffering [61 words] | S.C.Panda | Mar 24, 2005 07:02 | 21157 | ||
| Who is behind Hamas? [218 words] | Werner | Mar 23, 2005 18:52 | 21152 | ||
| Were the American colonists the exception? [174 words] | Pat | Mar 23, 2005 17:19 | 21150 | ||
| Critical Points [39 words] | Matania Ginosar | Mar 23, 2005 16:29 | 21148 | ||
| Explaining American Presidents - The Legacy Issue [399 words] | Boris Celser | Mar 23, 2005 11:49 | 21144 | ||
| How soon we forget [155 words] | Darwin Barrett | Mar 23, 2005 11:45 | 21143 | ||
| I need more sleep! [86 words] | Vashti | Mar 23, 2005 11:07 | 21142 | ||
| Democratic suicide [21 words] | Aaron Rosloff | Mar 23, 2005 10:13 | 21141 | ||
| Response to Mr Ruben Holsteinburg [70 words] | Jacob Carmiel | Mar 23, 2005 10:09 | 21140 | ||
| No, They Cannot [58 words] | Srini Varadarajan | Mar 23, 2005 08:09 | 21138 | ||
| Unfortunately, those who share Daniel Pipes's views are in a minority [152 words] | Octavio Johanson | Mar 23, 2005 07:01 | 21137 | ||
| Democracy and Totalitarianism [318 words] | Arlinda DeAngelis | Mar 23, 2005 01:13 | 21130 | ||
| Democratic Hamas, etal? [51 words] | Carole Bolotin | Mar 22, 2005 20:53 | 21127 | ||
| Conservatives can't come to grips with the problem. [138 words] | Jason Pappas | Mar 22, 2005 20:34 | 21126 | ||
| Why are our 'Leaders' so clueless? [26 words] | Father of 2 boys in Army, 3rd joining Air Force soon | Mar 22, 2005 20:27 | 21125 | ||
| Controversial Issue: Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation? [69 words] | A. Atrasch | Mar 22, 2005 18:38 | 21124 | ||
| Is banning Hezbollah and Hamas realistic? [199 words] | Emmanuel P | Mar 22, 2005 18:33 | 21122 | ||
| Justice Jackson's Dissent [758 words] | Daniel W. Weil | Mar 22, 2005 18:08 | 21121 | ||
| Can Hezbullah be democratic? [234 words] | Anthony Letayf | Mar 22, 2005 18:04 | 21120 | ||
| The Iranian/Syrian backed Islamist Hezbollah Monster [706 words] | Free | Nov 27, 2006 14:10 | 21120 | ||
| 1 | Muslims must embrace democracy [145 words] | Ruben Holsteinburg | Mar 22, 2005 17:39 | 21119 | |
| Islamists can't be democratic [471 words] | Quennel Gale | Mar 22, 2005 17:26 | 21118 | ||
| How true [56 words] | Stas | Jul 27, 2012 18:19 | 21118 | ||
| But Democracy gives Legitimacy to those who would crush Terrorists [79 words] | Scott | Mar 22, 2005 17:25 | 21117 | ||
| Remember Oslo [188 words] | Dave M. O'Neill | Mar 22, 2005 16:47 | 21116 | ||
| An open question to all readers [161 words] | Octavio Johanson | Mar 22, 2005 16:22 | 21115 | ||
| What about Fatah? [81 words] | Werner | Mar 22, 2005 14:56 | 21113 | ||
| Being Skeptical may not be enough [264 words] | Nick Wiesenfeld | Mar 22, 2005 14:31 | 21112 | ||
| Transformation possible or not [167 words] | Werner | Mar 22, 2005 14:10 | 21111 | ||
| Can Hezbollah and Hamas Be Democratic? [112 words] | Rachelle Assouline | Mar 22, 2005 14:05 | 21110 | ||
| There can be no peace [138 words] | W. | Mar 22, 2005 13:33 | 21109 | ||
| If Hezbollah and Hamas were violent white groups, there would be a stronger reaction [103 words] | Octavio Johanson | Mar 22, 2005 13:33 | 21108 | ||
| Educate them and give them a chance [136 words] | Thani Al-Shirawi | Mar 22, 2005 12:00 | 21105 | ||
| Look deeper [55 words] | George Valdshtein | Mar 22, 2005 11:53 | 21104 | ||
 A question [75 words]w/response from Daniel Pipes | David Jones | Mar 22, 2005 11:43 | 21103 | ||
| Limits [86 words] | Lyle Sykora | Mar 22, 2005 11:39 | 21102 | ||
| Confirmation [73 words] | Deirdre | Mar 22, 2005 10:57 | 21100 | ||
| Skeptical also [152 words] | A | Mar 22, 2005 10:28 | 21099 | ||
| Terrorists do not believe in democracy [27 words] | B. Alotaibi | Mar 22, 2005 09:55 | 21098 | ||
| Can terrrorist organizations become "democratic"? [45 words] | Donald W. Bales | Mar 22, 2005 09:38 | 21097 | ||
| Unpleasant facts of life [134 words] | Peter J. Herz | Mar 22, 2005 09:11 | 21095 |
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