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Democracy and security are inseparable.

Reader comment on item: After Saddam? Remaking the Mideast

Submitted by Quin Roberts (United States), Feb 11, 2003 at 15:56

In a previous response to this article, elaine bousfield is badly mistaken, when she writes, "A long term plan to ensure Peace and Democracy in the world would not have included…Ronald Reagan's attack on Nicaragua..." President Reagan's aid to the Nicaraguan Contras anticipated by two decades her call for support of "indigenous forces that campaign for democratic change." U.S.-backed armed resistance was instrumental in permitting the election that replaced Sandinista rule with genuine multi-party democracy in that country.

People on the political Left who wish to promote democracy must learn to temper their suspicion of American conservatives with an appreciation of what people like Reagan have done to promote freedom around the world. While the Reagan Doctrine of support for anticommunist guerillas did not focus exclusively on pro-democracy movements, it indisputably (and intentionally) bore democratic fruit.

The overarching strategy of which the Reagan Doctrine was a part produced the greatest victory for peace and freedom in my lifetime: the replacement of Soviet communism with democratic institutions in Russia. Peter Schweizer, in his book, Reagan's War, sums up that strategy in the words of its architect, Richard Pipes: "U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union proceeds on the assumption that the maintenance of power by the Soviet regime rests ultimately on force and that Soviet external aggressiveness stems in part from the nature of the Soviet political system."

Acting on this insight and his belief that a slave state could not compete with America, Reagan challenged the Soviets militarily, and they collapsed, taking much of the nuclear threat with them. The fact that nations with the least political freedom tend to have the highest proportion of their population in arms is evidence that internal oppression is a principle source of international aggression. In this light, a policy that does not aim for democracy in Iraq is unlikely to result in lasting peace.

During the 1980s, I argued frequently with peace activists, many freshly returned from Nicaragua, who were laboring to protect the Sandinista regime from our "imperialist" aggression. In hindsight, their efforts served only to delay the true democracy sought by the Nicaraguan people. Unfortunately, that is how today's "peace" movement is likely to be viewed a decade from now.
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Reader comments (45) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Correction: Not "Don't Be Greedy!" but "Don't Get Greedy!" [2 words]Jonathan RickJan 5, 2005 08:3419427
Deconstruct Theocracy [91 words]Don van SickleApr 21, 2003 12:078494
difficulties ahead... [16 words]p cormanyApr 17, 2003 14:458427
Time to leave Saudi?? [69 words]Mark HMar 21, 2003 16:317497
Democracy at home - Tyranny Abroad [60 words]AhmedMar 14, 2003 15:037256
The theory of intended and unintended consequences [442 words]Shfep FargotsteinMar 12, 2003 12:177201
After Saddam? Remaking the Middle East [176 words]Wahid BoctorMar 3, 2003 00:527009
Keep up the fantastic work! [20 words]Dave PryceFeb 18, 2003 01:526707
Democracy? [25 words]HarmoniaFeb 17, 2003 10:216695
Playing the "Liberation" card [510 words]Dr. Ron PollandFeb 17, 2003 09:536694
Freedom of the Media IS necessary for Peace in the Middle East [250 words]Alex DashevskyFeb 16, 2003 14:046688
Not OK Oday [361 words]Chas. DahlinFeb 15, 2003 15:536674
Democracy is born out of maturity [213 words]Karsten BraschFeb 15, 2003 14:396672
4Problems in the US Policy [1260 words]Aslele ZaabiFeb 14, 2003 23:176658
False Dichotomy in Postwar Planning [409 words]Todd WinteringFeb 14, 2003 16:026648
Japan and the ME are like chalk and cheese [124 words]S.R.JudahFeb 14, 2003 08:156638
Beyond Technicality [107 words]A HFeb 13, 2003 19:266624
Japan [113 words]M SchultehenrichFeb 13, 2003 14:316618
Revamping the UN [354 words]Shep FargotsteinFeb 13, 2003 10:106610
How I see it at this time [106 words]Manuel GwiazdaFeb 13, 2003 08:306607
I'm with Ajami [96 words]Paul M. NevilleFeb 12, 2003 19:336598
Do we believe the Declaration? [164 words]Joseph SomselFeb 12, 2003 18:176595
Ready for Democracy [85 words]Ted VolckhausenFeb 12, 2003 15:056592
After Saddam - One Detail You Did Not Mention [333 words]Joseph E. RendiniFeb 12, 2003 14:176591
Notes [340 words]Alo KievalarFeb 12, 2003 11:376584
After Saddam: Islam Confronts Democracy [425 words]Dave DavisFeb 11, 2003 21:306573
Democracy vs. Imperialism [330 words]Arlinda DeAngelisFeb 11, 2003 21:266572
We'd have to be brutal with terrorists [192 words]Catherine FFeb 11, 2003 20:326571
America's Destiny [137 words]William L. KorstadFeb 11, 2003 19:526569
Democracy's Core Value [127 words]David JacobFeb 11, 2003 19:326567
Calling the Fouad Ajami Brigade [181 words]Andreas SamsonFeb 11, 2003 17:456565
To the above poster [49 words]JeffFeb 11, 2003 16:376564
Democracy and security are inseparable. [365 words]Quin RobertsFeb 11, 2003 15:566563
Give democracy a chance [233 words]Amir ZadehFeb 11, 2003 12:336556
Arabs already have disposable divorce [66 words]GloriaFeb 11, 2003 12:326555
Strongly disagree ! [225 words]R.IsakFeb 11, 2003 11:486553
Caution in the Middle East [625 words]James M. CarterFeb 11, 2003 11:356552
Forget About Reforming Iraq -- or the Arab World [311 words]Ralph WinstanleyFeb 11, 2003 11:086551
RE: Glenn Klotz's question [173 words]Bob SamualsFeb 11, 2003 10:586550
After Iraq [96 words]John HampeFeb 11, 2003 10:556549
Not trusting the US or the UK to take a long term view :response to Ajami's view [532 words]elaine bousfieldFeb 11, 2003 10:406548
Outstanding balanced article [107 words]John S. MorganFeb 11, 2003 10:396547
Can This Go On? [122 words]Steven HessFeb 11, 2003 10:216545
Liberals & Liberal democracy [108 words]Glenn KlotzFeb 11, 2003 09:476538
Famous Victory? [193 words]Graham Rael-BrookFeb 11, 2003 09:026537

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