The New York Times‘ Nicholas D. Kristof writes:
“Is the Arab world unready for freedom? A crude stereotype lingers that some people — Arabs, Chinese and Africans — are incompatible with democracy. Many around the world fret that “people power” will likely result in Somalia-style chaos, Iraq-style civil war or Iran-style oppression. (…) I don’t think so. Moreover, this line of thinking seems to me insulting to the unfree world. In Egypt and Bahrain in recent weeks, I’ve been humbled by the lionhearted men and women I’ve seen defying tear gas or bullets for freedom that we take for granted. How can we say that these people are unready for a democracy that they are prepared to die for? (…) I’m awed by the courage I see, and it’s condescending and foolish to suggest that people dying for democracy aren’t ready for it.”
I don’t always agree with Kristof’s take on things, but this is one of his most interesting columns as of late.
(HT: Bill Easterly.)