I would also add that Yemen has made progress towards a democratic form of government although offically a republic. They do hold free elections.
Give credit where credit is due.
Thanks Mr. Beagle.
Actually, Hank, I consider Turkey to be in both Europe and Asia. Kind of like I consider Russia to have both a European section and an Asian section.
Bahrain: A partially elected/partially appointed legislature and a monarch who “doesn’t rule out allowing political parties to operate”? (That’s all from the Bahraini embassy site, btw.) Yeah, that’s really democratic. Although my opinion doesn’t count for much with the average Bahraini subject, I, for one, am glad that the monarch’s making strides, great or small, to let folks rule themselves.
Israel: Your response proves your comment about it was pure bunk.
Really? And how is that, precisely?
As I recall, the U.S. had an arms embargo on Iraq for quite some time before the Gulf War. Iraqi weapons were almost universally of Soviet and French origin.
I am very curious to see some evidence to back this up.
The only other democracy anywhere close is Turkey - only arguably in the ME at all.
As for “pseudo democracy”, I really want to know how you conclude that. Really.
It is no big secret that the US provided financal and military aid to the Iraqis during the 1980s. Not to mention that it was done with the full knowledge that chemical weapons were being used. We provoded intelligence and planning to the Iraqis. Not that hardware was transfered, but intelligence is probably the single most important weapon of war.
We have just given two fledgling democracies in the Middle East, Yemen, a democratic republic and Bahrain which also holds free democratic elections.
I don’t really think of Israel as a true democracy. Here is the plan. Move in alot of our people, move out alot of thier people, restrict citizenship and voting. Now lets have free democratic elections. They are a fledgling democracy just like the others. They have the right idea but they aren’t really there yet.
I said it was my opinion. You are calling my opinion bunk?
What are Israel’s voting requirements?
Never mind, I think I found it. According to CNN, “all citizens aged 18 or older on election day are eligible to vote.”
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/israeli.elections/elex.primer.html
What’s wrong with those voter requirements?
Israels voting requirements.
Read this on Yemen: http://www.idea.int/publications/arab_world/ArabWorld-part2.html
Sounds more “fledgling” than “democratic” to me.
You do realize that Arabs have full voting rights in Israel, and their own political parties and politicians … right?
Good. Now check the statistics on Israeli citizenship and those requirements.
From that cite:
“In that spirit, citizens who are non-Jews have freedom of religion as well as equal voting rights- Israel has quite a few non-Jewish members of the Knesset, as well as Arab parties. Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in Israel.”
What exactly is your point?
If all Arabs in Israel had voting rights things would be much different. All Arab citizens. You left out the part about citizenship. But you knew that didn’t you?
Sure am calling your opinion bunk, Hank. After all, you’ve just shown that it’s not based on fact.
Does anyone have any opinions on the whole “abandon Israel” thing? The topic even has “appeasement” in it. It’s red meat, dig in.
I’m pretty sure that Israel is one of, if not the most, democratic country in the area - whatever area that is. The Knesset fights like crazy, it must be democratic.
I only mentioned Bahrain because it is such an exception to the rule. Democracy checklist: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Saudi, etc… crickets
Forgot to ask you for another cite, Hank: When did Israel “move out a bunch of people?” I was under the impression that a bunch of people left when Israel was established hoping that the Arab nations attacking Israel would wipe it out and they’d get to go back and enjoy the land.
Subject, meet verb. I hate it when I do that.
Let me be clear: Israel is a democracy. The burden is on anyone who asserts otherwise. They have free, fair, multiparty elections. The leader changes frequently, no political violence.