Optimistic about Arab Elections

Bill Kristol is optimistic about elections in Iraq because of some of the latest commentary coming from the Arab press. Kristol reporduces this commentary from the Arab Press:

Some of the [Arab League] members . . .maintain that the Baghdad government is not legitimate. Why? They argue that it is not elected and was appointed by the American occupation. This widespread view has some basis. . . . However, the talk of the illegitimacy of the [Iraqi] government. . . . allows us to raise questions regarding most of the regimes in the region . . . some of which emerged as a result of coups or internal conspiracies, when no one asked the people what it thought.

To most people this seems to be an obvious observation. However, perhaps it is not so obvious to the conspiracy loving Arab world. Another Arab press source states:

It is outrageous, and amazing, that the first free and general elections in the history of the Arab nation are to take place in January: in Iraq, under the auspices of American occupation, and in Palestine, under the auspices of the Israeli occupation. . . .

The problem with this statement is that a good portion of conspiracy lovers will note this as a reason to reject any election results and not as simple irony.

The hope is that any election that takes place in this part of the world will not be the last election. It makes one realize how lucky we were to have founders of the likes of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson who believed in democracy more than their own political ambitions and political fears. Persons of similar stature have not arisen in Russia. Perhaps some will rise in Iraq.