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Some people seem always to need a scapegoat I find Min. There are quite a few middle eastern countries far worse than Egypt that are not exactly buddy buddy with the States. Egypt was very friendly with the Soviets when it suited them, after all, the Soviets paid for the Aswan high dam.

Roy.

Far worse in what sense, Dig?

Individual freedom Min, poverty, religious persecution, ethnic persecution, women's rights.

Roy.

Egypt is sitting on a fundamentalist time bomb, though. That should take care of a number of those issues you mention.

Bush cleverly pushed Mubarak to hold elections and then was surprised when the Islamic Brotherhood did well. You see, we profess belief in democracy but only if they vote the way we want them to. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine is not our idea of "democracy." Some flunky who does what we want is what we prefer.

Any doubt that if they held free elections in Afghanistan that the Taliban would win a lot of seats?

No fundy Christian, Jew, Hindu or Muslim can accept democracy Min, to them power/authority devolves from God, Yaweh, Allah, Shiva or what have you.
Theocracy and democracy are totally unacceptable to each other. One is the rule by God and 'tother by man.

Roy.

It's all rule by men.

Always has been...always will be.


The only question is "which men."

Ah, but Min, one group of the men have the ear of the Almighty!

Roy.

So they say.



Personally, I think they are all full of shit.

I sometimes wonder if they believe what they spout as well Min.

Roy.

I've heard it said that if one repeats a lie often enough it becomes a belief.

It happens to almost everybody at the top. They start to really believe in their own greatness and infallibility. Massively egged on and reinforced by their retinues. Exceptions like Mandela, Gorbachev, or Carter – who managed to maintain their humility and perspective – are extremely rare.

Gee. The internet and cell phones have gone out in Egypt. What an amazing coincidence!

Yeah! Rather like me and Uni agreeing on something!

Roy.

Minimalist wrote:Any doubt that if they held free elections in Afghanistan that the Taliban would win a lot of seats?

No less than the tea party would, or our Geert Wilders or Jean-Marie le Pen did.

The Taliban in our midst.