In 2002, the United States National Security Strategy (NSS) declared that democracy was America's mission for "every corner of the world", but first and foremost the urgent necessity was in the Middle East. The so called Bush Doctrine asserted that democracy would be a panacea for Islamic terrorism, Iraq would be the model for others to follow. Five years on and with Iraqi democracy hanging by a thread, Islamists elected in Palestine, and untransparent restricted democratic pretensions in other Arab states, what progress has been made?
Historically democracy in the Middle East is sparse. Colonial rule working in tandem with strict regressive monarchies, then one party state socialism with dubious definitions of "democratic", have smothered any progress for pluralism and popular representation. The region is split between these two strands authoritarianism: King Abdullah vs Mubarak, King Hussein vs Bashar al-Assad, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi vs Saddam Hussein. In addition to the politics and this far from democratic tradition, religion is arguably a stumbling block. Democracy and Islam are not compatible as sovereignty lies with God not man. But Islamic movements have participated in elections and adhered to democracy, albeit with reservations. Algerian Islamists achieved electoral success in 1991, Muslim Brotherhood candidates running as independents gained 20% in Egypt's 2005 elections. Here is the update:
Algeria
18 million Algerians are registered to vote in the upcoming legislative elections set for May 17
Bahrain
parliamentary elections held on 25 November 2006 with major gains for Shia and Sunni Islamist parties. The election was preceded by a political realignment in which opposition parties that had boycotted 2002's poll agreed to take part. Turnout was 72%. Salafists Al Asalah came third.
Egypt
President Hosni Mubarak has won three elections unopposed since 1981, but in 2005 for his fourth contest - under US pressure - he changed the system to allow rival candidates. Mubarak's National Democratic Party won 68%, while independents Muslim Brotherhood gained 19.4%. Concerns were expressed after the 2005 elections about government interference in the election process through fraud and vote-rigging. In addition, violence by pro-Mubarak supporters against opposition demonstrators and police brutality were evident during the elections.
TBContinued
Historically democracy in the Middle East is sparse. Colonial rule working in tandem with strict regressive monarchies, then one party state socialism with dubious definitions of "democratic", have smothered any progress for pluralism and popular representation. The region is split between these two strands authoritarianism: King Abdullah vs Mubarak, King Hussein vs Bashar al-Assad, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi vs Saddam Hussein. In addition to the politics and this far from democratic tradition, religion is arguably a stumbling block. Democracy and Islam are not compatible as sovereignty lies with God not man. But Islamic movements have participated in elections and adhered to democracy, albeit with reservations. Algerian Islamists achieved electoral success in 1991, Muslim Brotherhood candidates running as independents gained 20% in Egypt's 2005 elections. Here is the update:
Algeria
18 million Algerians are registered to vote in the upcoming legislative elections set for May 17
Bahrain
parliamentary elections held on 25 November 2006 with major gains for Shia and Sunni Islamist parties. The election was preceded by a political realignment in which opposition parties that had boycotted 2002's poll agreed to take part. Turnout was 72%. Salafists Al Asalah came third.
Egypt
President Hosni Mubarak has won three elections unopposed since 1981, but in 2005 for his fourth contest - under US pressure - he changed the system to allow rival candidates. Mubarak's National Democratic Party won 68%, while independents Muslim Brotherhood gained 19.4%. Concerns were expressed after the 2005 elections about government interference in the election process through fraud and vote-rigging. In addition, violence by pro-Mubarak supporters against opposition demonstrators and police brutality were evident during the elections.
TBContinued
No comments:
Post a Comment