http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,148962,00.html
Where are the critics of the US policy in the Southwest Asia today? They seem to be strangely silent in the face of the resignation of the entire pro-Syrian Lebanese cabinet resigned in the face of 25,000 demonstrators demanding a redress for the wrong done to them with the assassination of their previous prime minister.
Why the silence? The answer is simple: it is impossible to argue with obvious success. Since the US invaded Iraq, some things have gone wrong. There is no argument that can counteract that fact, and those that oppose the current US policy in Southwest Asia seized on those failures as evidence that the entire policy is flawed.
Then, something else happened. First, Afghanistan held its first ever democratic elections. Then, the people of Ukraine, admittedly not in Southwest Asia but close enough to count, refused to be bullied into accepting the results of an election they knew were false. Then, Iraq had its democratic elections in the face of threats of violence and death. Suddenly, that much maligned policy seemed to be gaining strength.
Now, the people of Lebanon are crying out for their own freedom, and the government of Lebanon heard that cry and quailed. Why is this happening? To be sure, the Lebanese people grow tired of an oppressive foreign occupation Syria, but now those same people know that they have an ally who will stand beside them in their demand for freedom- the US stood for Afghanistan and Iraq, surely it will stand for Lebanon too.
That message has been heard around Southwest Asia. Saudi Arabia recently held its first municipal elections. Eqypt recently modified its constitution to allow for elections. The pro-democracy movements in Iran grow more bold with each passing day.
Where are those critics? It is hard to criticize when there is nothing to say.
DLK 20050228
