Commentary: Beware Revolutionary Hopes without More Information
Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2011
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
Arab Spring exuberance fades due to what some call "unintended consequences." The word democracy that resounded among protesters has not materialized in Egypt, Syria, and Libya. The countries seem critically and urgently ill as far as democratic leadership is concerned.Democratic leaders applauded Arab Spring protests and revolts without remaining in observation mode. They now appear to have been "taken" if democratic changes do not appear soon.
When Cuba's Fidel Castro and his militants fought President Batista, Americans in huge political and religious numbers thought that Castro was "the man." He won, shoved the democracy option off a cliff. Seeing this "unintended consequence" of exuberant support of Castro, many Americans thought the lesson had been learned...not to judge prematurely. As Wayne's World would say to this failure to learn..."Not."
We must beware uprisings, we see, again. How many more times will this happen, since recently we've done this three times in fast succession. President Mubarak of Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, did rule despotically. Life was hard. He has been replaced by military despots that look the other way when Christians are slaughtered and churches burned. We have no idea what will happen in Libya, or even Iraq, where precious treasure of American blood has been shed in fighting a despot.
Clearly, we do not have the answers or the insight that many of us Americans hoped. Have we who hoped and our leaders who hoped--those that decide and make speeches--learned anything?
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