See a Pattern Here?

In April 2003, the US invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein. In January 2005, the Iraqis had their first election, and right now we’re hearing about good ol’ American style bargaining among the various factions who got elected into the legislative assembly, as well as secret negotiations between US officials and insurgents who seem to want to enter into the political process.

With the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister, allegedly by Syria, and the Lebanese people staging mass demonstrations where he was killed (with nearby Dunkin’ Donuts and Virgin Superstore providing free bathroom facilities), change seems to be in the air in the Middle East. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has announced electoral reforms, while the Sauds are -ever—so—-slowly—-introducing democratic reforms. NYT’s David Brooks attributes this change in no small part to the US invasion, which has set these and related events into motion. People in the Middle East are simply asking, “why not here?” Stephen R. Sestanovich of the Council on Foreign Relations places Bush’s policy into a broader perspective on US foreign policy, comparing Bush’s “forward looking” foreign policy to Reagan when he pushed Mitterand and other European leaders to accept a united Germany: And it was Madeleine Albright’s view when she explained what she meant in calling the United States an ”indispensable” nation: ”We see further than other countries into the future.” Arrogant and hubristic perhaps, and often wrong about their prognostications. Even so, their forward-thinking seems to be right when it counts. Brooks and Sestanovich attribute this foreign policy tradition to the American “can do” attitude that so characterizes their culture. It might also have something to do with what Wilfred McClay has called “evangelical conservatism”. See also commentary at the Democracy Project.