Quote:
Originally Posted by MH
Not entirely.
Many ME countries are bunch of tribes that got defined through dictatorship.
While its still difficult to see those countries as future democracies it would be impossible so without the dictatorship stage.
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Also not entirely true
You make it sound as if the whole ME consists of tribes. You're generalizing an entire region.
Especially in the case of Egypt this is definitely not true. They very much see themselves as one people. Not much tribes there I can assure you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MH
Mubarak had to cut freedoms because in part of anti nationalist movements which saw Egypt as part of greater Islamic world.
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Well that's what both he and Khadaffi do: they play the scare card. They threaten that if they are overthrown, radical Islam will take over.
Well I'd like to see that before I believe it. Seems very convenient, and whenever the words 'radical Islam' are uttered, you know the western world will be scared sh*tless.
Most people that got arrested under Mubarak were arrested for no reason other than being a political threat; political opponents or journalists.
Another thing; on the one hand western governments openly disapprove of dictatorship, yet they never turned from Khadafii or Mubarak. They only did so (rather late and reluctantly I might add) when they realized opposition to both of them had grown so large it couldn't be stopped. Because dictators as they might be; they have been there for decades, and a lot of big western companies (Shell among others) had made huge deals with them.
Oh and about the dictatorship-stage being necessary; you might have a point there, but both countries have seen decades of dictatorship now. One might argue they are ready for a next phase by now...