The Right Kind of Oppression

So Obama it seems has made it his mission to leave a legacy of “freedom” throughout the Middle East. So he is advocating, nudging, or shoving all of the dictators from their perches, supporting anyone purporting a “freedom” ideology, banner, or bumper-sticker. So throughout the Middle East dictators are being toppled like dominoes as we provide money, and clandestine troops and assistance and randomly lob missiles hither and thither.  And it all seems to be going splendidly as “freedom-luvin” groups throughout Middle Eastern countries are suddenly inspired to get theirs.

  And as the dictators respond violently to prevent their own overthrow and demise their violence is then highlighted worldwide on Al Jazeera and the other world media, invoking even more animus against these evil dictators in a circular death spiral of their various regimes.  The new mantra of the current administration is that we will no longer support or allow dictators to oppress their own people just because they are “Our dictators...”     Stirring words

So how’s that working out for you?

Well if you ask any lefties today they will tell you that it is working majestically and that freedom and democracy is on the march throughout the Middle East in wondrous ways. Soon many new countries throughout the Middle East will be democracies akin to the United States. Well firstly, our form of government here in the U.S. is not democracy, and thank Allah for that!  Democracy has been best described as four fox’s and a chicken voting on what is for lunch. Democracy sounds good as long as you are not the chicken.  So, as these burgeoning “democracies begin to take hold with these various countries vast majorities being staunchly Muslim how much actual “freedom” do you think will reign there?  Well, you say, it is not for us to force our world views on them. Well isn’t that what we are doing right now as we decide their current way of doing business is not acceptable and we intervene and help to overthrow their current way of doing things?  As it is repeatedly shown that Islamic run countries oppress their peoples majestically, the common mantra is that it is not our place to interfere with their traditions and way of governing their people, yet that is exactly what we are doing in favoring and supporting a majority led dictatorship over a minority led dictatorship. So let me get this straight: “Oppression by military might is evil, but oppression by a large mob is good.” OK, thanks for the clarification.

So why does this seem to me to be Déjà vu all over again?  Oh yeah, I remember now: Carter already tried this experiment, though on a much smaller scale in the 70’s with Iran, and that certainly worked out well! Yep, similarly to the current “new” freedom plan for the Middle East Carter allowed and supported the overthrow of that evil dictator, the Shah. Now that worked out well, huh? Yeah, now four decades later Iran is a veritable icon of freedom, to be emulated throughout the Middle East. Just think how wondrous a place the Middle East will be once Iran-style Islamic freedom is implemented throughout the entire region. “But no, goes the mantra, these countries are not being taken over by religious radicals, but rather those fine secular groups such as the Islamic Brotherhood. And how much more secular can one get than a group with Islamic in their title? “Well, that is their business, not ours,” goes the mantra of the left. Right, so why is it our business when it is the current form of oppression rather than our preferred form of oppression of Democracy?

“Well, what are we to do,” the lefties ask, “just allow oppression violence and murder of these people by these tin-pot dictators?” Well maybe so, and maybe not, but a good start would be to admit that you favor butting into and imposing your ideas as much as the righties do. That would be a good start. Another edifying thing for all would be to for once not ignore the law of unintended consequences in favor of good intentions and happy thoughts to actually contemplate if our constant interventions might be misguided and once again helping the Middle Eastern peoples out of the frying pan and into the fire, or worse.