A New Power Rises Across Mideast

WaPo reports Advocates for Democracy Begin to Taste Success After Years of Fruitless Effort

Early this year, a small group of advertising executives, journalists and political operatives began meeting around the crowded tables of a popular cafe here [Beirut] to plot an opposition media strategy for Lebanon's spring parliamentary elections. The mission was a long, almost hopeless quest to upend years of Syrian political domination. "Like all Lebanese, we thought we were experts on politics," recalled Francis, who volunteered his time on the politically sensitive campaign. "But progress was slow." Then a bomb exploded Feb. 14 along Beirut's waterfront, killing former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. The media group immediately put its election strategy into action as tens of thousands of protesters flooded Beirut's central square demanding that Syria pull out of Lebanon. The group's choices -- the red-and-white color scheme and "Independence '05" slogan -- were broadcast across the Middle East. Suddenly, Francis and his colleagues were at the cutting edge of the Arab world's democratic spring....

The prospect of sectarian violence still shadows Lebanon; crackdowns against dissent threaten reform movements in Egypt; and Saudi Arabia and other autocratic strongholds in the Middle East are taking only the most cautious steps toward democracy. But across the region, political reformers are benefiting from the unifying forces of technology and mass media. Digital channels outside the control of states are carrying anything from a Kuwaiti woman's call for voting rights in her country to a Lebanese Christian's demands to drive Syrian troops out from his. The foot soldiers are Islamic political activists in some cases, Bob Dylan disciples, communists or Arab secular nationalists in others. Many are united only in their common desire for fair elections, free speech and political rights.

John @PowerLine blogged This morning the Washington Post begins a two-part report on the stirrings of movements for democracy across the Middle East. Today's article focuses on Lebanon and Egypt. Of course, in the Post's telling, the main credit for the "rising" of a "new power" goes not to the Bush administration, but to more congenial figures--journalists and advertising men, one of whom, a Lebanese, assures us that if he lived in America, he would surely be a liberal Democrat. The Post seems to think that it is the proper color-coordination of street demonstrations, not January's election in Iraq, that explains why democracy is suddenly resurgent in the region.

What most liberals stubbornly refuse to acknowledge is that for decades, American policy in the Middle East centered on supporting pro-American regimes, even when those governments were autocratic and unpopular. What makes the "neocon" policy in the region a sharp departure from the past is precisely the fact that the only respect in which governments are expected to be pro-American is that they neither support nor spawn terrorism. Democracy in Muslim countries will, no doubt, result in the election of some governments that are unfriendly both to American culture and to American foreign policy aims. As long as those governments are not starting wars or spawning terrorism, however, the administration and its allies will be satisfied.

Cori Dauber blogged On the other hand, too many articles fawn over the groups pushing for electoral reform in Egypt without making clear who they are or what their agenda is. It's useful to make clear, as this article does, that not everyone who wants to be elected into power would be friendly towards the United States. Others, we should understand, if they are interested in free elections, are interested in them only as a tool to gain power. One man, one vote, one time.

Orrin Judd blogged It's a favorite argument of the Realists that the situation in any given country is so unique that it isn't fertile ground for participatory government--and they're always wrong.

Betsy Newmark blogged The Washington Post has a fascinating look at some of the groups that have been working behind the scenes to bring about democratic reform in the Middle East.

Some may be pushing electorial reform just to get in power, with the thought they will remove it then, but when the people have an opportunity to pick their leaders they are not likely to forget that feel, even if they have to realize they made a mistake once. It just means they will be more careful the next time. And just because a country is Democratic does not mean they are going to support the US, but they are not likely to decide to go to war with their neighbors. And a lot of the countries in Eastern Europe, who just got Democracy, were some of GWB's greatest supporters in the war in Iraq.