One Hand Clapping

One Hand Clapping: "Three days ago was a landmark day for Iraq – and the rest of the Arab world. Strategy Page explains,

This relentless progress of democracy is causing quite a commotion throughout the Arab world. While it is fashionable to denounce the American presence in Iraq, and what the Americans were doing, the Arab language buzz on the net is going in unexpected directions. Because of al Jazeera and the Internet, young Arabs everywhere are not only able to observe what it happening in Iraq, but to discuss it with young Iraqis. These discussions are not noted much in the West, because they generally take place in Arabic, and often via email and listservs. The non-Iraqi Arabs are impressed at the proliferation of media in Iraq, and the eagerness of Iraqis to vote, and make democracy work. The economic growth in Iraq is admired, and is already attracting entrepreneurs from other Arab countries.

Remember, though – Iraq is a quagmire! As Mark Steyn observes, “Well, that old Iraqi quagmire just keeps getting worse and worse … .” The question is, for whom? Well, Steyn answers.

Yesterday my wife and I attended the December luncheon of Tennessee Marine Families. One of the moms there mentioned that she emails a young Iraqi woman, Bana, of about the same age as the first-term Marines serving there. The Marine mom sent me the email she had received Friday from Bana about election day:

The election day was terrific,we all walked to the poll (my parents & I, our next door neighbor the parents & their 2 daughters & another neighbor; only the parents as their boys can`t vote cuz they are in the same age with my brother) to vote at 4:00 Pm. We spend the morning in baking cake & preparing ourselves as as if we had a party, we wore the best clothes we have,wore make up ..when we came back, they came to our home & celebrate till 10:00 pm. We hope the new coming year comes with peace. Thank you for make dream come true.

As Steyn writyes, “Bush lied, people dyed. Their fingers.” That dream is one that men and women of other Arab countries are starting to wonder when they will realize."