Thank god for democracy.

[loro mi dicevano]

Truly - I'm absolutely not being sarcastic.

I was watching Anderson Cooper's account of the demonstrations in Lebanon (or, if you prefer, Leba-Lebanon ;)), and thinking about this.

I am amazed at some recent events (within the past few years) - the Rose Revolution in Georgia, the election in Spain, the Ukrainian election, and now, the protests in Lebanon - and the strength of democracy and the citizens of the world.

When you look at it all, you realize something else: you can't FORCE democracy on a country. What Dubya wants to do ("spreading freedom and democracy around the world") is very nearly impossible. The people have to initiate the democratic process.

I wish that more Americans would wake up and realize they're being lied to, too.

[Inland]

1. Democracy--an idea so powerful, it may survive Bush's embrace.

[Tux]

2. People

Democracy isn't a gift one can give. We can give them the idea of democracy but only people that desire it can give themselves democracy.

I'm glad they are getting democracy. I only hope we can keep it here.

[th2techdude]

5. Yes, people must accept Democracy before it can work.

We can not force it upon people. The people in Iraq have still to build a constitution and build a government.

[welshTerrier2]

3. "What Dubya wants to do" ???

the last thing, the very last thing bush wants to do is "spread freedom and democracy around the world" ...

what is seen on the "stage" may be a nicely functioning democracy ... it lets the audience relax ... "after all, a majority of us voted for this government" ... but backstage, the story is very different ...

in many countries, democratic governments have been forced to make deals to comply with American corporate demands ... if they don't play ball, they don't stay in power ... it really is the best of all propaganda campaigns ... the U.S. tries to sell itself as the good guys ... who would ever oppose a little interference from the U.S. to help bring freedom and democracy to oppressed peoples? ... what a noble government we have ...

the problem is, it's all bullshit ... where there are no dollars to be made, the neo-con interest does not exist ... i agree with the premise of your post that you can't FORCE democracy on a country ... but i think it's important to emphasize that bush's goals are never benevolent ... they're exploitive ...

under bush's clumsy blunderings, the U.S. has become the bad guys ... it's not because bush tried to build a democracy in Iraq; it's because U.S.-based trans-national corporations continue to exploit countries and their citizens all over the world ...

[Jesus Saves]

4. I agree I love to see people in the streets

throwing off the shackles of repression.

Bush is right about one basic thing: the world is on a course towards more freedom and democracy - and this is true, even in spite of his agenda.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

6. The world is on the course toward polarization

look at the evidence and think this through. You're wrong.