[antimedia] antimedia: Arabs in the MidEast hate us because....

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Posted by antimedia:
Arabs in the MidEast hate us because....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1159241390.shtml


   ....our policies have favored Israel and punished them. So say our
   experts.
   Some influential Arabs, however, say [1]something different.

     The Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy
     (CSID), ([2]http://www.csidonline.org ) has published an open
     letter to U.S. President George W. Bush, signed by Arab and Muslim
     intellectuals and activists inside and outside the Arab world, who
     are concerned about the promotion of democracy in the Middle East
     and North Africa. (The list of signatories to the open letter can
     be viewed on the CSID website.)
     The letter calls upon the U.S. administration to reaffirm its
     commitment to sustained democratic reform in the Arab world.
     Specific emphasis is placed on the case of Dr. Ayman Nour, jailed
     leader of Egyptian opposition party Al-Ghad, with a request that
     President Bush pressure the Egyptian government for his release. In
     addition, the letter calls on Bush to include in the democratic
     process all elements that are willing to abide by democratic rules
     and to reject violence, saying that this is the only way to advance
     liberty.
     The following is the full text of the open letter:

  We Believe That "The Main Problem With U.S. Policies in the Middle East... is
  Precisely the Failure to Live Up to America's Democratic Ideals of Liberty
  and Justice for All"

     "Dear Mr. President:
     "As Arab and Muslim intellectuals and activists concerned about the
     promotion of democracy in our region, we urge you to reaffirm - in
     words and actions - America's commitment to sustained democratic
     reform in the Arab world. It is our belief that the main problem
     with U.S. policies in the Middle East (in particular in Iraq,
     Palestine, and elsewhere) is precisely their failure to live up to
     America's democratic ideals of liberty and justice for all. We have
     been heartened by the strong commitment to liberty you had
     expressed in your November 2003 speech at the National Endowment
     for Democracy and then your second inaugural address, when you said
     that 'All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United
     States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors.
     When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.'
     "Despite some initial skepticism, those statements nurtured hope in
     our region. We realize that democracy is not easily attained and
     must ultimately come from within. But it can receive encouragement
     and support, both of which it badly needs today in Arab countries.
     The minimum support the people of the region yearn for is precisely
     what you have undertaken in your NED speech: to break with 60 years
     of US support for non-democratic regimes in the region, and to make
     that known to the world in unequivocal terms. This would be more
     consistent with the principles of the United States, which has,
     since its birth, been intimately connected with the ideals of
     democratic governance enshrined in its founding documents-ideals
     that speak to all generations and peoples everywhere."

   Odd how the American media didn't bother to report this.
   By the way, I completely agree with these folks. America's failures in
   the mideast are directly related to not promoting our ideals. The
   racist State Department and Arabists have told us for years that Arabs
   can't "do" democracy because it's against their nature. (Many who
   oppose the Iraq war make the same racist claim.)
   They've been lying to us all this time.

References

   1. http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD129806
   2. http://www.csidonline.org/