BETWEEN THE LINES: The illusion of democracy
The success of our American democracy experience has tainted our judgment, particularly when it comes to our foreign policy.
Fighting two world wars in the first half of the 20th century, the United States finally cast aside our isolationist tendencies and adopted a policy of attempting to transport democracy to those suffering from oppressive dictatorships. It was as if democracy by itself would cure all social evils. Unfortunately, democracy is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.
Not long after the end of the American Revolutionary War, the French tried to duplicate our feat but instead ended up with Robespierre and the Reign of Terror. History has borne out that revolutions more often than not result in even greater inequities. Just look at the last century alone for testimony. The Bolshevik Revolution cast off the corrupt czarist regime of the Romanovs, only to have Josef Stalin fill the void, resulting in the death of millions of Russian citizens.
The end of World War II brought the Chinese Revolution, which resulted in the deaths again of millions more under Chairman Mao. Then closer to home, we have the Cuban Revolution under Fidel Castro who overthrew the Batista regime, and finally we have the Iranian Revolution which ushered in the Ayatollah. None of these revolutions advanced freedom one iota, as all of these countries took a giant step backward.
Today, Egyptians are rejoicing in the streets as another dictator is brought down. Hosni Mubarak was no saint, but as dictators go he is nowhere near the top of the list as the worst offender. He was an Arab moderate who sought to curb Islamic radicals, and maintained friendly relations with Israel.
His departure, though, is one more indication that when the going gets tough, American support likely will crumble as well.
In the last year alone, we have cast aside long-time allies, Israel and Great Britain, in showing the world we now are more open-minded in our affairs. We sold out Great Britain by giving the Russians information about the Brits’ nuclear arsenal in return for Russian support of the SALT treaty. What we have demonstrated to the world is that we are no longer a trusted ally, that when world opinion heats up, we fold our tent.
A good analogy can be seen in basketball refereeing. Circumstances often call for officials to make crucial calls that go against the home team that will generate the ire of their fans. If officials are intimidated by coaches and fans and fail to make the correct call, they have done a disservice to the integrity of the game.
Good officiating is about making the correct call, not the one that is politically correct. Experienced officials do not seek popularity, but rather consistency in the way they call the game.
The real winners in Egypt are terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, who will use this opportunity to enhance their positions. Mubarak’s resignation in the end more than likely will not result in a freer people, but a victory for Islamic terrorism.
Americans must not forget that coexistence is not in the terrorist vocabulary. There is widespread hatred for Americans in the Muslim world, not just the terrorists. Political correctness in this regard on our part could prove our undoing.
It remains to be seen if the new government in Egypt will be an improvement over the old one.
Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 12 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, e-mail ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.