Where are the benefits in past Middle East regime changes?
A few days ago I read a post on the subject of Syria that suggested in each case where a dictator or "bad" guy was removed/toppled there was no clear identity of who/what would take over.
Afghanistan/Iraq....still trying to figure out who is in charge of the country. Egypt.....look who got in after that change....and how long it lasted....and now still in turmoil.
It certainly appears, like it or not these countries may well have been better off with their dictators or bad guys. They were a known entity....like it or not they kept the country stabil (a relative condition) under their form of governing.
Look at N. Korea, Iran et al.....run by folks we do not approve of for very many reasons.
I was in East Berlin shortly after the wall came down. The biggest complaint from the citizens of East Germany was, under communism, like it or not, they knew where the next days bread or other needs were going to come from and when. Under the new rulses of freedom they were not happy as there was no order. In their case they were fortunate as there was no doubt the situation would eventually evolve to a Germany that was in place.
In the Middle East there is no assurance that what gets into power will be any better, if at all, than what was ousted.
Can anybody look at the images of the children in the bombed out areas with no food or dwelling and say they are better off? They will be in time? Of course not.....the reality of the people is being over shadowed by the power of the few as usual.
Before we start touting regime change we should at least get back to a point where we can demonstrate we can take care of our own before we start selling a better way of life to others.
The old saying of the devil you know is better than the one you don't know is so very appropriate in these countries as demonstrated by what has followed ousting the incumbent leadership.
And even talking about regime change in Syria is rather farsical and naieve without knowing what comes after....like Egypt/Afghanistan/Iraq/et al.
Isn't it obvious?
btk
|