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EDITORIAL                                                                                  By Maximillien de Lafayette lafayette@monthlyherald.com

To read de Lafayette's Editorial "The images of physical and sexual abuses at Abu Ghraib  are totally unacceptable and un-American!!" in the June Issue of World Arts & Culture" Magazine published by the Monthly Herald, click here: Military

 

Why President Bush "American Democracy" will never work in Iraq.                                     The enormous differences between the Arab/Islamic and American "democratic" laws and ways of life will not allow the Bush's administration to create a democratic regime in Iraq or in any Arab country, not now and not in five hundred thousands years to come!!

Many American Presidents before him and  a considerable number of world's leaders tried to establish democracy in the Arab world and failed. But President Bush, strongly,  honestly and stubbornly believes that he can change the world! Good luck, Mr President.

Centuries ago, Napoleon Bonaparte during his Egypt expedition and campaign, wrote: "The West is the West. And the East is the East. Like two mountains, they  don't meet." He conquered Egypt. He perfectly understood the psyche , traditions, nature and laws of the Muslim world. He brought to Egypt a fleet of physicians to cure diseases.  He created hospitals, he improved the  conditions of life of the Egyptians and Mamelukes. He protected Egyptian libraries, centers of learning,  and archaeological sites. His scholars deciphered the Hieroglyph language. In brief, he created a better life for the Egyptians. The Egyptians Ulemas, scholars, Imams, leaders and heads of tribes were impressed by Napoleon's contribution to improve the social and living  conditions of Egypt but,  they made it clear to him that they will never accept "western" values, the French way of life and European civilization as their own. In brief, they were grateful to him but wanted HIM OUT OF THEIR COUNTRY. No matter how generous, honest, helpful, beneficial, essential, supportive and important you are  or were to the Arabs and Muslims, they will always demand that you leave their countries, that you will never interfere in their domestic and national affairs  and  that you will never  return to their lands. And if you  wish in the future to visit their countries, you will do so as their guest, not as a conqueror or as a  foreign ruler. And most certainly, you will never  return with a military force. Napoleon understood and accepted the "Arab Reality" and got out of Egypt. President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld do not understand the "Arab Reality" and are still in Iraq, They WANT to create democracy in Iraq! But who are they fooling?! They will never prevail in Iraq or in any Arab or Muslim country, no matter how long they stay and how hard they try!!

 

Photos from L to R: Two leaders in the Middle East. #1. Napoleon in Cairo  in 1798. #2. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld speaking to U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

Rudyard Kipling wrote almost the same thing: "East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." But President Bush does not agree. He still believes that the civilization, the culture, the social values, the laws, the military might, the economical empire and the American way of  thinking, reasoning  and doing things will bring law and order to the world (Of Course, American Way of Law and Order) and establish a democracy in the Middle East, Near East and occupied Iraq. Unfortunately, with all due respect, President Bush is absolutely wrong. It is IMPOSSIBLE to force an Arab or a Muslim (Outside the USA) to fully accept American  social values, laws and "American Democracy" as the only meaningful and truthful values, laws and form of a democratic and constitutional  society. This will never happen! I lived and worked for several years  in many Arab and Islamic countries. I learned the Arabic language and its various regional dialects. In addition, I practiced law in the Middle and Near East, studied Islam for almost 25 years and witnessed 7 Arab revolutions , civil wars and wars between Arab nations and their neighbors.  I know the Arab  and Islamic worlds by heart.

 

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