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PARALLELS
By Micah Halpern

Sunday January 31, 2005

Column:

Iraq and the Palestinian Authority have much in common. There is a strong parallel to be drawn between the two.

Both societies just had historic elections.

Both societies are at a crossroads.

Both societies have leaders who are courting the West and populations that are mixed in their opinion of the West.

Both societies have within them a strong and vibrant terrorist element that is perceived by many as being the only path towards salvation.
And that, the embrace of terror, terrorism and terrorists as a normal function of everyday life, is the greatest parallel between Iraqi and Palestinian societies.

Terrorists defend the honor of their society.
And now both in Iraq and in the Palestinian Authority they will battle with the newly elected powers for the hearts and minds of "their" people.

Terror cannot be put down by the masses simply by saying "no."
In Iraq on Sunday, the masses shouted "no" to the terrorists. In the Palestinian Authority, Palestinians went to the polls and elected Abbas, as their way of shouting "no."

Terrorists and those who believe in democratic principles are now, willingly or unwillingly, intentionally or not, about to begin a long debate over the principles that will guide their societies to the future.

Terrorists have taken their campaign beyond the battlefield and are running a grassroots campaign.
We saw it happen last week when Hamas scored a huge victory in the Gaza elections. They are using slogans like "search from within" and "do not wander to the West or the outside world to find solutions" in order to convince the masses that Islam, not democracy, is the answer.
This is precisely what we will see happening in Iraq.

Terrorists will take their campaign to the streets.
They will broadcast it on the internet, on radio, on TV and print in on placards.

Terrorists in Iraq will argue that everything the West brings is bad.
They will say that they are trying to preserve a strong, honorable Iraq for Iraqis, for other Muslims and for Arabs. They will play the US card, calling the United States the most powerful force of corruption on earth. They will say that corruption of that magnitude can only be bad. They will point to the sex, the promiscuity, the movies, the superficiality, the lack of religion as evidence of Western evil.

Terrorists will argue that the traditional role of women, the role of traditional family and the role of religion will be destroyed if democracy and Westernization is allowed to continue.

Terrorists in Iraq will use the Palestinian model and the experience of Hamas in the Palestinian Authority and Hezbullah in Lebanon to boost their claims.

Now the forces of liberty and liberalization must begin the real fight.
Like the terrorists, they, too, must begin a serious campaign educating and enlightening the people and the street about the greatness and strengths of freedom.

Now the forces of liberty and liberalization must show that voting is just one small element of democracy.
They must prove that responsibility and accountability are essential, that security and safety are accessible realities.

Now the forces of liberty and liberalization and democracy must empower the people.
They need to demonstrate that democratic power fuels the creativity that fosters dreams and that can provide for future growth and productivity and freedoms.

Iraqi and Palestinian liberal leaders must prove that they not only make promises but that they can make good on their promises. They must do it now. And we, the Western world, must help.

Iraqis and the Palestinians now must stand shoulder to shoulder and assume the awesome responsibility of participating in a democracy. Otherwise it might just slip away.

4 June 2017 12:14 PM in Columns


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