New at Reason

Julian Sanchez | September 8, 2005

Michael Young surveys the Egyptian election, and Arab liberals' ambivalent relationship to the West.

Comments

|9.8.05 @ 8:24PM|#

"However, beyond certain boundaries?for example imposing broad international sanctions (as occurred in Iraq during the 1990s), adopting assertive policies to isolate leaders, or using military force?liberals become uneasy with outside pressures, though these may be precisely what is needed for success."

Proposed alternate title for this article: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Make Arab Liberals Love the Bomb!

|9.8.05 @ 10:52PM|#

You know, there are good arguments to be made in favor of invading Iraq.

A dubious election in Egypt with a foregone conclusion is not one of them.

Warren|9.9.05 @ 12:36AM|#

Fucking eh. Are there no libertarian-minded aspiring journalists with a passion for Mid-East minutia that Reason has to give column inches to this putz?

fyodor|9.9.05 @ 1:28AM|#

Perhaps the West could start with a more modest form of pressure than trade sanctions or the threat of force, such as merely withholding aid?

|9.9.05 @ 4:40AM|#

"Perhaps the West could start with a more modest form of pressure than trade sanctions or the threat of force, such as merely withholding aid?"

Now there's an unmentioned elephant in the room.

But wait, if we dont do it, the Soviets will.

|9.9.05 @ 9:07AM|#

fyodor-

Now that's just crazy talk!

Peter K.|9.9.05 @ 5:14PM|#

Thoreau et al.,

My understanding is that basically we're paying off Egypt and Israel so they don't tear each other and the Middle East apart. Mubarak is keeping a lid on things, what your boy Saddam used to do.

I'll agree with you that both of these countries should be dealt with more forcibly.

However, it's bizarre to see the peaceniks react to any concrete proof of post-March 2003 improvement, however small, in the Middle East as if it were screeching fingernails on a chalkboard.

The optimists responded that Mubarak, by opening up the electoral process, albeit selectively, also opened a democratic Pandora's Box that the regime won't be able to close in the long run.

I hope they're right.