On the subject of democracy in the Middle East...
In my International Relations class today, we were discussing the dominoe effect...maybe if democracy takes off in Egypt and Jordan, it will have a dominoe effect on the rest of the region. Democratic governments automatically mean less war, more stability and predicability, and a more free flow of information. Now, according to my understanding, one of the main roots of radical Islam is that they feel that the immoral Hollywood western culture is threatening traditional life in the Middle East. IMO, a free flow of true information about the "real" West, not Hollywood, will start eroding at radical Islam. Maybe, if democracy takes off in the Middle East, we will have peace in that region. Maybe?? Possibly?? A slight chance?
Of course, they also hate us because of our Judeo-Christian culture, but a free flow of information will hopefully help with that too.
Whoa careful there. Far too many sweeping absolute generalizations than I would care to see in an analysis! Democracy is not automatic in decreasing war, stability, and predictability. We're acting as slow as we are as a nation because Mubarak is more stable and predictable in our mind!
"they feel that the immoral Hollywood western culture is threatening traditional life in the Middle East" not necessarily. Especially in Egypt. Cairo was traditionally the center of Mediterranean Islam and used to be the epicenter of Islam (Pre-1960). Mediterranean Islam was characterized as much more liberal, free-thinking, and tolerant than the new epicenter focused on Saudi Arabia which is more radical, intolerant, and conservative (that epicenter followed the money). Even a few years ago it was not the norm for women to be covered, they were more commonly in skirts and jeans than head scarves.
They do not hate our Judeo-Christian culture and I caution you about that statement, especially if you attend the Academy. Some of our exchangers from places like Pakistan, Algeria, Egypt, etc. would probably punch you for an assumption. (No exaggeration, I heard a wonderful story. One of the most despised 2010ers made a comment in a class about how we should turn the ME into glass. Our Iraqi classmate walked over, slammed the kid's head into the table, then walked back to his seat. The teacher looked the other way and class resumed with said kid silent and the class grinning at the Iraqi). Well, maybe not punch, but our J-C culture is not despised by all the common people, esp middle class people. Decadence perhaps.
A large part of the commoners anger towards the U.S. is the support of pro-Western tyrants (think the Shah, Mubarak, Saudi Royals) who suppress democratic ideals of free press and free speech. Actually, more the loss of self-determination to tyrants. Will democracy solve that? Dunno.
So, while my comments are just as debatable, watch the absolute generalizations. It becomes more difficult to ponder solutions with hard assumptions that are not proven (yet). Make sense?