yup, we need a brutal strongman type back in charge in Iraq

[pampango]

45. "People living in repressive regimes mostly want elections because they want someone on their side

in charge."

Depending on what you mean by "on their side" I could agree with that. Heck, when I vote I want to elect someone who is on "my side" (meaning liberal) rather than a conservative.

Of course, people living under a repressive regime might also see democracy as a way out of a society where the secret police visit in the middle of the night to enforce the 'brutal dictator's' position in the country.

And, of course, it is an interesting coincidence that a belief that Muslims don't really know what democracy is works very well with a policy that we should not be concerned with human and democratic rights in their countries.

Muslim countries never had an Enlightenment. Us Westerners did. ... These Enlightenment ideas - all men being equal and all that - are not really represented in the minds of most of the Muslim middle east. Family, then tribe then co-religionists then country.

That is a pretty negative view of Muslims. They are unenlightened. Don't view all men (and women) as equal (regardless of any polling results). Don't confuse the policies of the ruling elite or the violent fundamentalists with what everyday people believe.

We should be looking after our interests and let them live their lives.

From the poll below, that is exactly what most Muslims think is the US policy - look after our own interests (largely oil, in most countries) and put democratic right on the back burner - or off the stove altogether.



http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/07/10/most-muslims-want-democracy-personal-freedoms-and-islam-in-political-life/