Middle East Watch

Remember the dire predictions that the "Arab Street" would rise up and explode with hatred for America if we dared touch the good Muslims in Afghanistan and then again before we liberated Iraq? What is the Arab Street saying? Here's a sample, as compiled by Thomas Friedman at the New York Times:

"Let us describe the situation of the Arabs, and especially of Iraq, had America listened to the European counsel that said: democracy is not suited to the Arabs, their culture is contrary to it. . . . See now how many countries are turning toward democracy. Even Afghanistan has a constitution. In Iraq [they are drafting] a new constitution and handing over the regime, and Libya has changed."
- Abd al-Hamid al-Ansari, the former dean of Qatar University's law school

"What we, as Arabs, should truly feel humiliated about are the prevailing political and social conditions in the Arab world — especially in Iraq — which allowed someone such as Saddam Hussein to . . . assume the presidency. We should feel humiliated that Saddam was able . . . to single-handedly initiate a number of catastrophic policies that transformed Iraq, relatively rich in natural, human and financial resources, into the poorest, most debt-ridden country in the Arab world, not to mention the hundreds of thousands killed and displaced. We should feel humiliated that some of our intellectuals, supposedly the representatives of our nations' consciences and the defenders of their liberty and dignity, not only dealt with Saddam, but also supported him. . . . The Arabs should have been the ones to bring down Saddam, in defense of their own dignity and their own true interests."
- Osama al-Ghazali Harb, Egyptian intellectual

"Iraqis are keen to take back control of their country, and many are acutely aware of the opportunity they now have to build a new and fairer society. There is once again a pride in being an Iraqi. It is this growing feeling of restored honor and the rising confidence of Iraqis which is now the target of the terrorists."
- Editorial, Saudi Arabia's Arab News

Friedman goes on to report that Syrians are forming human rights groups to demand reforms, and the Lebanese are reporting on corruption within the Palestinian Authority and demanding accountability. And John Kerry says he didn't expect Bush to "fuck it up" as badly as he did. The man is not only vulgar, he is blind as well, and undeserving of the Presidency.