Defending Democracy and Freedom

Submitted by Ed Gordon (Israel), Nov 3, 2005 at 12:54

America's Role as defenders of democracy and freedom as always been considered important to the leaders of this country. The events following Al Qaeda's attack on the American Homefront, brought an appropriate initial response from President Bush. In a matter of months, Afghanistan had been changed from a country ruled by one of the most "ultra orthodox' Islamic movements (the Taliban) to a country of hope, where now women are able to work in many professions and even run for public office. Free elections have been held there and women proudly waited in line for hours to express their opinion by voting. The Al Qaeda terrorist organization was put to flight and literally driven underground, and it's top leaders, though still not confirmed as killed or captured, forced into hiding.

Then came Iraq, where perhaps misguided motives on the part of the U.S. Administration regarding Iraq's WMD programs led to an invasion in March, 2003, causing a cruel and dangerous goverment to be overthrown in a U.S. led operation called Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The U.S. Administration thought it would be easy to persuade the Iraqi people to embrace America's style of freedom and democracy. But events occuring almost daily in that country since March/April 2003 have proven that many elements in Iraq are not willing to accept Mr. Bush's grandoise plans to change a country formerly led by dictators to one in which is patterned after a country where Jay Leno, Dr. Phil, McDonalds, Home Depot and Wall Mart are the most important things on peoples minds.

The Iraq malaise, where more than 2,027 Americans have already lost their lives, has literally sidetracked the War on Terror that was initially so successful. In trying to be the 'policemen' of the world and show beligerant countries that they cannot carry on as they do, the quagmire of Iraq has shown countries like Iran, and also Syria that it is possible to intimidate when the one who 'carries a big stick' has that "stick" stuck in the mud: the 'mud' being Iraq of course, and the devastation left by Mother Nature in America's Gulf Coast after the worst hurricane season on record.

Thus, Mr. Bush and his government had better take care of their own backyard first - it's a bit dirty - before trying to go forward. Otherwise, it will be no better than Cervante's "Don Quixote" charging widemills.

---

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".