Kingdom Not Aware of US Democracy Initiative, Says Prince Saud
I like to read Arab News , the "Middle East's English language daily", for its insight into the Arab world, or at the very least, the anglophone chunk of that world.
Over the past year and a half, articles have turned from ‘Bush is riding a tiger with hawks around him’, 'The United States seems to speak with only one diplomatic voice these days, and it is brutish and loud.', and Imran blames US policy for extremism to less self-confident, more questioning fare such as 'Democracy for Arabs? Thanks, but... ' and, my favorite recent headline, 'Kingdom Not Aware of US Democracy Initiative, Says Prince Saud'.
The tone has gone from strident anti-Westernism to uncertain, though still certainly snotty, carping and critic-in-the-box sniping at US efforts that nonetheless lack forcefulness, attractiveness, or persuasiveness. This change is revealing and relevatory. We have taken the fight out of the pro-dictator, anti-liberty forces, and we have the opportunity, in this vacuum, for setting the questions of this century for all the Arab world. We're only partially blowing it in Iraq today, which is darn good, and at present trends, it looks like we're odds-on to have a democratic and free Iraq in the next five years.
It underscores the importance of our revised and bold foreign policy.
