By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News
Egyptian sociologist and democracy activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a distinguished visiting professor at Drew University, wrote in the June 15 Washington Post that, "Most Americans may not miss (George W.) Bush, but a growing number of people in the Middle East do.""Bush's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan remain unpopular in the region, but his ardent support for democracy was heartening to Arabs living under stalled autocracies," Ibrahim wrote. Reform activists in Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait and elsewhere "felt empowered" to press for greater freedoms during the Bush years: "The methods through which Bush pursued his policies left much to be desired ... his persistent rhetoric and efforts produced results."
Ibrahim cited 11 contested elections in the Middle East from 2005 to 2006 -- "not perfect, but the advances sparked unprecedented sociopolitical dynamism and unleashed tremendous pent-up desire for democratic choice."
Democracy and rights activists in the Middle East who "listened with great anticipation" to President Obama's "promises of change when speaking in Cairo last June" found Obama "has retreated to Cold War policies of favoring stability and even support for 'friendly tyrants.'"
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