Arabs Bristle at Bush*s Speech on Democracy

[kskiska]

Commentators Criticize Interference, Hypocrisy

CAIRO, Nov. 7 -- The Iranian government told President Bush to mind his own business Friday after he called for greater democracy in the Middle East, and commentators across the region expressed similar and equally caustic views.

While some stressed that most people in the Middle East genuinely want democracy, Bush's preaching on freedom aroused resentment in a region where the United States is accused of waging war on Iraq and siding blindly with Israel against the Palestinians.

(snip)

"Arabs want democracy. They hate their corrupt regimes more than they hate the United States," wrote Abdul Bari Atwan, editor in chief of the London-based Arabic-language daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi.

"But," he added, "they are not going to listen attentively to the speech of the American president, first, because the consecutive American administrations, in the past 50 years, supported those regimes . . . and because all true democracies in the world came as a result of internal struggle, not due to foreign intervention, particularly American."

In its Friday edition, a signed editorial in the leading Lebanese daily An Nahar described the speech as "very attractive words" but said that "before they become tangible policies that deal with the real problems, they will continue to be boring, empty rhetoric."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13955-2003Nov7.html

[UTUSN]

1. Why Are They Worrying About "Democracy" Under Shrub??

Shrub is the most ANTI-DEMOCRACY prick-entity in the universe. There ought to be a PICTURE of him in a sheik outfit. No "democracy" need apply.

[pansypoo53219]

2. indeed

and that picture is there, but he is in a flight suit or giving the ol seig heil.

[0007]

7. junior can give Ashcroft a big 'ol woody.......

[bpilgrim]

3. echos of Commodore Perry's Expedition to Japan

will we fire at will if they resist... well if our history is to be of any guide hell yes.

http://globalfreepress.net/mp3/bomb_brown_people.mp3

peace

[snippy]

4. Adopt democracy or we will kill you.

And if you elect someone without our approval, we will kill you anyway.

[Don_G]

5. This Guy????

[guajira]

6. ROTFLMAO!!!! Thanks for the great out-loud Saturday morning laugh!!

Fantastic photo! Shows Smirky's personality very well!