"There is nothing wrong with the people of the Middle East," Rice added. "They can triumph and triumph democratically."
"Democracy is hard," she stressed, "and I see it as especially hard when there are determined enemies who try and strangle it."
I've said it again and again, rule of law is key to the success of democracy. Voting is necessary to have democracy, of course, but it is not enough.
Yet with violence in places where democracy is trying to emerge (Lebanon, Palestinian territory, Iraq, and Afghanistan), I am amazed that so-called Progressives blame democracy itself for the violence:
Western and Arab reporters questioned Rice sharply Sunday about statements she made nearly a year ago, in which she referred to "the birth pangs of a new Middle East." She suggested at the time that violence and hardship may be necessary to achieve freedom and that the forces of moderation and democracy will win out against what she called extremists.
Violence and fratricide have followed each of three U.S.-backed elections in the Middle East in the past three years — in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. On Sunday, Rice acknowledged the bad news.
The thugs predated voting in all these locations. Democracy is a new hope that rule of law could replace bullets and scimitars as a way of settling differences. The violence is the result of the thugs still existing in those areas and unwilling to let ballots replace bullets. The thugs know they are good with bullets. Ballots are too uncertain a tool to maintain control.
Don't blame democracy for trying to end the rule of thugs. Thugs would prefer to kill quietly with no press to report on their actitivies, but kill they will to maintain their rule without that democracy mucking up their raping and pillaging.
And don't call yourself "progressive" if you blame democracy for the violence of thugs who oppose democracy.
