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In reply to the discussion: Question: Why would the U.S. overthrow secular governments in the Middle East [View all]pampango
(24,692 posts)32. Well said. Dictators (and their foreign supporters) in the region have created the Islamist
opposition Perhaps they did this unintentionally - the Islamists were just the only opposition with enough organization to be able to survive the repression. Or perhaps the dictators did this intentionally to give foreign backers a choice of "you have to continue to support me or the Islamists take over" scary scenario.
You are right, IMHO, that Islamists gained credibility in opposition to Mubarak by providing social services that the dictator was not interested in providing.
The rise of Islamist governments is an effect "of U.S. (and other foreign) support of repressive governments than an effect of their overthrow." I agree.
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Question: Why would the U.S. overthrow secular governments in the Middle East [View all]
UnrepentantLiberal
Mar 2013
OP
I don't know the logic, but empirical evidence suggests that Islamic fundamentalist government...
JVS
Mar 2013
#1
That's an interesting question and I don't have an answer. I've gotten this far:
HiPointDem
Mar 2013
#5
Because the Neocons in think tanks are the ones who were too stupid to teach at Chicago?
Recursion
Mar 2013
#23
When Saddam left the dollar for payment for oil he sealed his fate and that of Iraq
Fumesucker
Mar 2013
#8
yes, that's part of it but I think it's more than a coincidence that so many
NoMoreWarNow
Mar 2013
#11
I doubt it. Because they keep doing the same thing, despite the example of repeated
HiPointDem
Mar 2013
#7
It is human nature that people do not like living under repressive kings/dictators.
pampango
Mar 2013
#12
most of humanity lived under repressive dictators for most of history. and the repressive
HiPointDem
Mar 2013
#17
We supported Mubarak for decades and Egyptians showed they were quite ready to overthrow him.
pampango
Mar 2013
#26
Follow the money - Saudi Arabia gains. Who do you think owns many multinational oil corps along
leveymg
Mar 2013
#13
So you're saying U.S. polititians are overthrowing secular governments in the Middle East
UnrepentantLiberal
Mar 2013
#15
Essentially, yes, we are viewed by the Saudis as hired mercenaries. Useful, but only to a point.
leveymg
Mar 2013
#22
From what I read about Egypt, the Islamists provided a social safety net
Lydia Leftcoast
Mar 2013
#27
Well said. Dictators (and their foreign supporters) in the region have created the Islamist
pampango
Mar 2013
#32
they are only interested in creating chaos in secular governments (including the US)
librechik
Mar 2013
#36