So much for the democracy domino
Reuters Reposter | 14.03.2003 18:42
Leaked US State Deaprtment report says that overthrowing Saddam Hussein is not likely to bring democracy to the region, indeed democratic expression is likely to be anti-American.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A classified report by the State Department concluded that overthrowing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is unlikely to generate democratic reform in the Arab world, the Los Angeles Times said on Friday.
The conclusion undermined one of President Bush's explanations for his plans to invade Iraq, as expressed in his speech in February at the American Enterprise Institute.
"A liberated Iraq can show the power of freedom to transform that vital region by bringing hope and progress into the lives of millions," Bush said in the speech.
The Los Angeles Times quoted the report as saying, "Liberal democracy would be difficult to achieve ... Electoral democracy, were it to emerge, could well be subject to exploitation by anti-American elements."
The newspaper quoted an unnamed intelligence source as saying the thrust of the document "is that this idea that you're going to transform the Middle East and fundamentally alter its trajectory is not credible."
"Even the document's title appears to dismiss the administration argument. The report is labeled 'Iraq, the Middle East and Change: No Dominoes,"' it said.
State Department officials declined to comment on the report or say whether it even existed.
Advocates of the "democratic domino" theory have argued that democratic governments in the Middle East would be more favorable to the United States and its ally Israel.
Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith, for example, said last month that democratic institutions in Iraq could help create Palestinian interlocutors for the Israelis.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the invasion of Iraq could reshape the region to enhance U.S. interests.
Opponents said that on the contrary democratic governments would by definition reflect public opinion, which in most Arab countries is more hostile to the United States and Israel than the existing authoritarian governments.
The Los Angeles Times quoted the report as saying that political, economic and social problems are likely to undermine stability in the Middle East "regardless of the nature of any externally influenced or spontaneous, indigenous change."
The conclusion undermined one of President Bush's explanations for his plans to invade Iraq, as expressed in his speech in February at the American Enterprise Institute.
"A liberated Iraq can show the power of freedom to transform that vital region by bringing hope and progress into the lives of millions," Bush said in the speech.
The Los Angeles Times quoted the report as saying, "Liberal democracy would be difficult to achieve ... Electoral democracy, were it to emerge, could well be subject to exploitation by anti-American elements."
The newspaper quoted an unnamed intelligence source as saying the thrust of the document "is that this idea that you're going to transform the Middle East and fundamentally alter its trajectory is not credible."
"Even the document's title appears to dismiss the administration argument. The report is labeled 'Iraq, the Middle East and Change: No Dominoes,"' it said.
State Department officials declined to comment on the report or say whether it even existed.
Advocates of the "democratic domino" theory have argued that democratic governments in the Middle East would be more favorable to the United States and its ally Israel.
Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith, for example, said last month that democratic institutions in Iraq could help create Palestinian interlocutors for the Israelis.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the invasion of Iraq could reshape the region to enhance U.S. interests.
Opponents said that on the contrary democratic governments would by definition reflect public opinion, which in most Arab countries is more hostile to the United States and Israel than the existing authoritarian governments.
The Los Angeles Times quoted the report as saying that political, economic and social problems are likely to undermine stability in the Middle East "regardless of the nature of any externally influenced or spontaneous, indigenous change."
Reuters Reposter
