non of my business but your questions show that the problem is you not the arabs. "On the scale of anti-Americanism relative to the Arab world where would you put yourself?" What kind of a (*)(*)(*)(*)ed up question is that?????? You're assuming that all ME people inherently hate the US!!! No buddy, nobody is born with hate. We are just reacting to what we see.
the Scandinavian countries, these countries really love life. Nope. In a way yeah, there inflounce in the ME has always been negative. I want 0 American influence in the Arab world, they keep the dictators in power. I don't want a single American soldier here, I believe a peace process happen among the people. An outsider can't make peace and does not have any interest in making peace.
1- Europe has gone through the same process we are going through right now. We are still waiting for our Martin Luthor. But let's not forget that even in today's Europe there are still radical christians. That is why there is still a vatican. So no, it is not a model. My model is a secular state where religion is non-existant, and no one is above the law. A state that gives freedom to its people and promotes freedom for all of humanity. A state that wants what's best for all of humanity. 2- We are all humans living on the same planet. Regardless of where you live on Earth, you must still think about the consequences of your acts on others and on the planet in general. Your interests must align with the interests of all other humans. Are our interests aligned with the west? sadly very few countries think that they need to align their own interests with other nations, and that includes Israel. If this continues, say goodbye to planet earth. 3- I know that America supports democracy and freedom for all, but not when it is harmful to them. That is why they will do anything to prevent a democratically elected government that would stand against American interests. Sadly, Saudi Arabia is of strategic importance to America, and the current regime serves American interests. 4- I prefer America stays as the most powerful nation in the world. With all their flaws, they are still far better than China, Russia, Israel, Iran or even my own country. I just hope that is it in their best interest to support peace in the ME. Now I want to ask you a question: Would you keep supporting Israeli interests even if it has negative consequences over Arabs and even the rest of the world?
You say that Americans keep your dictators in power, while the fact is that before America the Muslims and Arabs didn't even know democracy exists. It is America that toppled Sadam Hussein, the most terrible Arab dictator, and replaced him with a democratic regime, it is America that destroyed Taliban and created another democracy in Afghanistan. If you really want change in the Arab world, stop blaming America, Israel and the west, and instead focus on creating a democratic regime in your own countries. You can be sure that if enough people will really want democracy, no one will stop them, quite the opposite, America and Europe will most likely help.
Yes we have lived in a darkness called Islamic dictatorship for many hundreds of years, and we want to see the light in our life time. If America, Israel and others want to end the darkness we live in then why did they send half a million soldiers in 1990 to defend Saudi Arabia? Isn't it a dictatorship as well? America will gladly topple any dictatorship if it is in their best interest, but if a dictatorship that serves its interests then it is willing to do anything to protect it. When Afgan Mujahideen were fighting the Soviets, America helped them with all the money and weapons they need, but when they were done with them, they left them to the dogs (Taliban) to destroy them and form the worst dictatorship that can be imagined. If America really wants democracy in Saudi Arabia, then let's here it from Obama. All I want is to hear is Obama come out in public and say "we want democracy and freedom to the Saudis whatever the cost is to us and our allies".
But that's ridiculous. Why do you want to hear from America anything? Topple your own dictators for gods sake. America might have supported some authoritarian regimes, but it also created many democracies around the world. But America is irrelevant here, if Muslims will want democracy they'll get it. Unfortunately most Muslims focus their energy and anger at America and Israel instead of at their own dictators.
Nothing but rant. It's America that armed, protected and loved Saddam Hussein as her puppy dictator, they only toppled him because he betrayed them. Democratic regime? Hah! you must be kidding, tell me, lets assume Iraq is a democracy, can any Iraqi president remove all ties with the U.S and improve ties with Iran and china instead? Of course Americans would never allow such a thing, because Iraq is not a free nation. Who made Taliban? Taliban is just like Saddam, they betrayed their master. Yeah just like Iraq, democracy my ***. If I could change the Arab world, I wouldn't blame anyone, I would just give the U.S the middle finger and kick every single American expat(something like 60,000) from my country, and employ Saudi nationals instead, if I wanted workers I'd get Chinese or Indians, I don't wanna pay 10,000/25,000 dollars a month to Americans just because my king kisses their asses. Show me where I blamed Israel. If I even suggested that I'll be labelled as a terrorist and will end up in a Saudi political prison or American torture champers. Arabs are too brainwashed to see the truth, like I said before, there's no freedom of press in the Arab world, so its almost impossible to expose our leaders. Help to destroy their own interest that they protect with their own young men? of course they're not doing that!
Nicely put, lets see what eugenekop would say about it, here's operation Ajax if you don't know it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d'état So Americans spread democracy right?
To think that America does everything in its power to maintain dictators in Arab countries is beyond ridiculous. I can't argue that Americans didn't play some nasty games, but in general America knows that democracies are friendlier than dictatorships, so in general America would prefer democratic regimes. But I think we should all leave America alone. As I said before, if Muslims will want democracy they'll get democracy. And the first thing Muslims should do to develop democracy in my opinion is to develop a sense of self criticism. So for example instead of hating Israel to death they might instead learn from Israel how it got a democratic society, a high quality of life, and happy people. That will be much more productive than ranting about the miserable Palestinians and the evil Zionist regime.
please, I'm not stupid. Democracies are friendlier? Do you mean like Venezuela? Do you know why do they have bad relations with the U.S? Because they refused to kiss their asses and allow them to steal their oil. Americans supported not just one or two or three dictators, they supported MANY, because all they care about is money. They love to lie, like any government, but their "we defend democracy and freedom" is a big fat ass lie, only idiots believe such a lie. I never did anything to America, America should leave the ME alone. why do you say Muslims? I thought we were talking about Arabs, anyway, Arabs are brainwashed since day one, at school, media, I told you before but you didn't respond to what I said. Lets assume you're a Saudi, What would you do to establish democracy in your country? Simply, you can't, unless you start a revolt.
Democracies are friendlier because in democracies people freely trade and they don't usually blow themselves up. That's why democracies like those in Europe and in the far east are the best American allies. Saudia is just a temporary ally because they have a friendly dictator, but the people themselves hate America. American people know that, they know who are their real allies and who just share their temporary interests. Democracies are permanent friends of each other, because its the people who rule, and the people usually just want a good life and they want trade. America is interested in trade and in good relations more than in anything. Okay, then I ask you now, what is the content of this brainwashing? Many Arabs are not very religious, so I guess its not the Islamic type of brainwashing, what else then? What are they being brainwashed with? Arabs fight Israelis and Americans, there are so many terrorist acts committed against the west or people from other religions or sects. If that energy was used against the dictators, most of them would fall.
At school, when we studied Saudi history, they hide and change many facts and events, and show the kings as heros, when I read a newspaper, I read things like: prince bla bla signs a 500million contract to improve the hospitals, prince bla bla signs a 10 billion contract to develop whatever, prince whatever approves whatever billions to make jobs. And all of these are lies, hospitals and roads never change, all that money goes to places nobody knows where it goes to. Every single Saudi newspaper is like a Chinese style government propaganda. They distribute newspapers for free to government employees and college students everyday, to make sure we are kept brainwashed. And I'm pretty sure Egypt is 10 times worse.
America is interested, and there is nothing necessarily wrong with this, its own self-interest. Sometimes this means trade and good relations and sometimes it doesn't. It means supporting democracy that are supportive of American investment, and destroying democracies that are not: Iran El Salvador Venezuela Palestine America is no angel. It is a very powerful country and as far as very powerful countries go, a comparatively benevolent one. But it is not absolutely benevolent.
You are right, America support a democracy only if she profit from it, if the democracy of a nation has a negative impact on the U.S, they will try to find a fellow dictator, and they'll try to crush any such democracy.
