Bush no friend of democracy

President Bush wants democracy in the Middle East. His track record at getting democracy underway in the region isn’t good. No need to go into the details of Iraq, the growing menaces that are Iran and Syria. But one of the few democratization success stories in the region had been Lebanon, until a week ago when the country undercame bombardment by Israel following Hezbollah attacks, launched from inside Lebanon. As Israel’s campaign to eradicate Hezbollah has intensified, and ripped the legitimate government of Lebanon apart and killed hundreds of its civilians, Bush has remained quiet. He has supported Israel’s right to defend itself, while ignoring the right of Lebanese democracy to survive. Paraphrasing Bush’s father, Lebanon had become a point of shining light in the Middle East, and possibly one of the few non-coerced American allies in the region. But now Bush is turning a blind eye as Lebanese democracy, which so bravely rejected Syrian occupation last year, is reduced to glowing embers of cedar.

What are Americans to make of a president who claims to be driven by values, yet stands back and allows a budding democracy to be devoured by war, making no actions nor statements in its defense. He allows Lebanese civilians to be the pawns in his war on terror, more of their lives taken than terrorists themselves.

Israel does have a right to defend itself, but not at the price of indiscriminate slaughter of innocent civilians never involved with nor in favor of Hezbollah’s terrorist goals. Bush could reign in Israel, or try to actively negotiate a cease fire. Instead, he has stood back and allowed Lebanese civilians in favor of democracy pay the ultimate price that should be reserved only for Hezbollah terrorists.