Thank You CFR!

The superb new essay by Bernard Lewis that I mentioned last week is now freely available at the Council on Foreign Relations Web site. Dr. Lewis skillfully addresses the issue of Middle East democratization within the context of the political and social history of the Islamic world. Once again, I cannot recommend this piece strongly enough:

Summary: To speak of dictatorship as being the immemorial way of doing things in the Middle East is simply untrue. It shows ignorance of the Arab past, contempt for the Arab present, and lack of concern for the Arab future. Creating a democratic political and social order in Iraq or elsewhere in the region will not be easy. But it is possible, and there are increasing signs that it has already begun.


Freedom and Justice in the Modern Middle East