America is the land of freedom, democracy, and human rights. The Midddle-East is the land of despotic kings, cruel oligarchies, torture, great wealth for the privileged and poverty for the rest. So it stands to reason that America and Americans would welcome the site of a popular uprising in the MIddle-East where the ordinary citizen is rising up against the authoritarian rulers right? Wrong! Although many Americans will be supportive of the ideas of the common people over throwing their brutal governments, this is not going to be easy for the U.S.

The problem is that we have no idea what would arise from the ashes of these authoritarian governments. Would it be a Taliban like government? Would it be a Theocracy like Iran? Would it be a fragile democracy that is soon over run by radical groups? Whatever form of government would arise, it will not be one that recognizes or respects human rights. It will not be a government that will reject the brutal authoritarian repression that is so common in the Middle-East.

It would probably not be a government that America can work with. It is very likely that it will be another hard line Islamic government. And that is really what groups like Al Qaeda are hoping for. A chance to bring down the unpopular and brutal governments of the Middle-East and replace them with a Sunni Theocracy. It would probably not be very hard to do when you consider the blind devotion to Islam in the Middle-East. What ever the outcome it most likely will be bad for the U.S.

MEMRI - Three Perspectives on Recent Events in Arab World