Monday, February 21, 2011

Dear Mr. President,

According to the New York Times this morning, you put pressure on King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa to knock off the shooting of unarmed demonstrators in Pearl Square. That was good. I’d give you a B+ on that one. And you have “grave concerns” over the killing of hundreds of protesters by Qaddafi’s thugs in Libya. Kinda wishy-washy there. I’d give “grave concerns” a C- at most, although I know that’s diplomat-speak and you are, after all, the Diplomat-in-Chief. But really, Mr. President, your hesitancy to embrace the democratic revolutions sweeping the Middle East just ain’t cutting it. I know you can do better than that. Your speech on the Egyptian revolution, how we were witnessing history being made, how the Egyptian people would accept nothing less than democracy, was eloquent, the kind of thing you’re so good at, but boy, do your actions leave something to be desired. Our foreign policy is “selective encouragement” for democracy depending on “strategic interests,” i.e., commercial interests, the only interests that matter to Republicrats. We encouraged protests in Iran and Libya but waffled and waited in Egypt till it was a fait accompli. We’ve said little or nothing about the repressive regimes of our “allies,” Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, and stone-cold silence when it comes to the most destabilizing factor in the entire region, Israel, who continues to ignore international law and basic human rights and is guilty of blatant genocide against the Palestinian people – all with our support. That’s disgusting, Mr. President. You’re a smart guy but you’re sure acting stupid on this democracy movement. These revolutions are our most effective weapon in the “War on Terrorism.” We’ve chased and fought al Queda and the Taliban for ten years without success. A trillion bucks down the drain, 13 billion a month and counting, thousands of lives destroyed, and here the Egyptians, with nonviolent grit and determination and an unstoppable desire for dignity, human justice and democracy toppled an autocrat in 18 days. Wow! That was a beautiful thing. That’s how hate and terrorism should be fought, not with bombs and bullets, but with support and encouragement for democracy. The double-speak and double standards that have been our foreign policy for the last 60 years have not worked. Quit supporting tyrants and dictators. Support democracy. Maybe “they” will stop hating us. Maybe we will stop hating ourselves.