Is democracy compatible with mideastern culture? M

Actor Omar Sharif Says Arab Nations Will Never Be Democratized

Egyptian actor Omar Sharif — best known for his film roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago — reportedly blasted U.S. policy in Iraq and said Americans are ignorant.

According to The Middle East Media Research Institute, Sharif said the "East" will never have a democracy because people like him "prefer to go to the neighborhood sheik." MEMRI —a Middle Eastern press monitoring organization — posted an interview of Sharif that aired on the Al-Hayat TV network.

"I lived in America for a long time. Only 10% of all Americans have a passport. In other words, 90% never left America," said Sharif. "They don't know anything."

Sharif said that he spoke with President Bush before the beginning of the Iraq War and told him that Arab nations are made up of sects resistant to becoming democratized.

"I said to Bush, even before he entered Iraq: Forget about all that. We, the Arabs... We are not like [regular countries]," said Sharif. "You will drown there.

After being asked what Bush's response was, the actor stated: "He didn't believe me."

Sharif, who was born Michel Demitri Shalhoub and raised a Roman Catholic, converted to Islam and changed his named when he married Egyptian actress Faten Hamama in 1955.

FOXNews.com - Actor Omar Sharif Says Arab Nations Will Never Be Democratized - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

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National Debt =

He's wrong, for quite a few reasons, an important one being that the idea of Democracy is very popular in Arab nations among the people themselves.

If you're interested, I wrote a twenty odd page paper on Arab democracy this semester past. I can send it to you if you want. (I'm not going to post it on the internet for obvious academic reasons.)

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"Have you no decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
-Joseph Welch

Well, of course, it's always best to take political advice from actors, musicians and other celebrities.

I certainly rely on Bono and Sting, personally, to let me know what I should think.

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"Oh, bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round...

Have you considered that Muslims have immigrated to the West and essentially set up their own communities with their own mosque and religious leader and then have proceeded to try to establish Sharia Law. That would seem to indicate that at least a substantial number of Muslims after moving to western nations have simply gone back to the old ways and theocracy.

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National Debt =

Democracy is not incompatible with Sharia.

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"Have you no decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
-Joseph Welch

And dont forget Bob Geldof

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Viva Fidel

If there ever was in the history of humanity an enemy who was truly universal, an enemy whose acts and moves trouble the entire world, threaten the entire world, attack the entire world in any way or another, that real and really universal enemy is precisely Yankee imperialism

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

I see no reason why they could not start a democracy.
Democracy does not mean free. They could democratically keep everything the same.

Keeping politics aside for the moment--this is not true. There are a lot of muslims that want democracy, 90%+ I would say. Most do not want to be ruled by fundamentalism or dictators.

Most Iraqis can agree that they were happy that Saddam was overthrown and that some form of democracy was being emplaced--what made so many bitter was the incessant warfare coming from the radical side--going back to the though--"well I want democracy, but I dont want violence" or "I would rather go back and live under Hussein's fist than be afraid to walk in my street".

Now that sectarian violence is down considerably, I think its time to get the Iraqi goverenment to step up on humanitarian aid and infrastructure so that people can see its clearly again.

But no...this is not a true statement at all.

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"...Follow the crystal star to the pyre of the flame; there exists the dwelling of the spreading fire. The heart of this life rests upon the fate of that place, and what begins there sends a contagion to the rest of the universe.
As long as the fire burns we shall never be free..." (The Shadows of Yavara, Final Reclamation)

Ever here of Ronald Reagan? Arnold Schwarzenegger? Sonny Bono?

he's a master at bridge so he must know what he's talking about