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S U N D A Y , J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 0 5Democracy is Born In The Middle Eastby Michael in New York on
1/30/2005 09:02:00 PMI did not support Bush's unilateral invasion of Iraq (but Ithought the UN should have gone in there YEARS ago). Butwhatever you think of the war, anyone with a heart has to beinspired by seeing people flocking to the polls in Iraq,apparently at the same level as voters here in the US -- andwhen they are risking their lives to do so. It is inspiring to seewomen proudly displaying their ink-stained fingers that indicatethey too were able to vote. Even some Sunni areas saw strongnumbers of voters. If the dominant Shiites and Kurds canactually maintain a pluralistic, secular government -- ratherthan taking revenge on the Sunnis who dominated them forages -- it will be a miracle of decency. Arab news channels --according to the NYT -- were filled with images of the historicvote going out to the entire Middle East. Our "allies" --strategic partners who share none of our values, like Egypt andSaudi Arabia -- are deeply, deeply disturbed by this. Good.Yes, the country is still riven by violence and 1/5th of thepopulation is deeply hostile to the new leaders and ourpresence. Yes, the infrastructure is a mess. Yes, Afghanistanhad elections and now only a few major cities are controlled bythe "good guys" while a third of the country is back under theheels of the Taliban and another third dominated by drug lords.But people want to be free -- whether they live in China orNorth Korea or Iran or Egypt. People want to be free -- despitea thousand year history of sectarian hatred and religiousfanaticism, Iraqis risked their lives to go to the polls. We shouldbe happy. And God willing today may be the day they start toconsider themselves Iraqis instead of Kurds or Sunni or Shiite.I almost put a question mark at the end of the headline --Democracy is Born in the Middle East? But I don't think there'sany question.
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
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1/30/2005 09:02:00 PMI did not support Bush's unilateral invasion of Iraq (but Ithought the UN should have gone in there YEARS ago). Butwhatever you think of the war, anyone with a heart has to beinspired by seeing people flocking to the polls in Iraq,apparently at the same level as voters here in the US -- andwhen they are risking their lives to do so. It is inspiring to seewomen proudly displaying their ink-stained fingers that indicatethey too were able to vote. Even some Sunni areas saw strongnumbers of voters. If the dominant Shiites and Kurds canactually maintain a pluralistic, secular government -- ratherthan taking revenge on the Sunnis who dominated them forages -- it will be a miracle of decency. Arab news channels --according to the NYT -- were filled with images of the historicvote going out to the entire Middle East. Our "allies" --strategic partners who share none of our values, like Egypt andSaudi Arabia -- are deeply, deeply disturbed by this. Good.Yes, the country is still riven by violence and 1/5th of thepopulation is deeply hostile to the new leaders and ourpresence. Yes, the infrastructure is a mess. Yes, Afghanistanhad elections and now only a few major cities are controlled bythe "good guys" while a third of the country is back under theheels of the Taliban and another third dominated by drug lords.But people want to be free -- whether they live in China orNorth Korea or Iran or Egypt. People want to be free -- despitea thousand year history of sectarian hatred and religiousfanaticism, Iraqis risked their lives to go to the polls. We shouldbe happy. And God willing today may be the day they start toconsider themselves Iraqis instead of Kurds or Sunni or Shiite.I almost put a question mark at the end of the headline --Democracy is Born in the Middle East? But I don't think there'sany question.
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HuffPost PoliticsPaul Helmke: NRA Defeated In Key Gun ViolencePrevention Vote: Elections Have Consequences -The National Rifle Association leadership suffered amajor defeat in the U.S. Senate today, losing a keyvote on a bill that would have radically...5 minutes ago
Daily KosWaterloo, But for Who? Liveblog 3 - Themini-tutorial on deficits is good. Will it sink in? Willanyone say, hey, the Iraq war is costing TWICEwhat this reform is going to cost? No.7 minutes ago
Crooks and LiarsPresident Obama's Health Care Presser: OpenThread - President Obama's presser on health carereform has just begun...Let us know what you seeand rate the journos...How negative do you thinktheir question...43 minutes ago
FiredoglakeLiveblogging the Obama Health Care Presser: CostControl Up Front; Politics Pushed Aside? - PresidentBarack Obama goes on National television at 8pmEDT to once again address the need for real healthcare reform, and the need to get something don...49 minutes agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
1 of 57/22/09 8:53 PM
Think ProgressKit Bond says DeMint’s attack on Obama was ‘wayoff base.’ - Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has beenaggressively attacking President Obama recently,saying his efforts to reform health care will be his“Waterloo” and that i...49 minutes agoShow All
A M E R I C A B L O G T V
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in
REM - Orange CrushNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
2 of 57/22/09 8:53 PM
Ezra KleinTab Dump1 hour agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’2 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .3 hours agoThe TreatmentHatch Is Out5 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' Proposals10 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
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Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
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S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
4 of 57/22/09 8:53 PM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Democ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/01/democracy-is-born-in-mi...
5 of 57/22/09 8:53 PM