Palestine has achieved "democracy", which is why they are now shooting at each other in the streets.
What would the Arabs do with democracy? They are tribal to the back tooth , take all their orders from a book written fourteen hundred years ago and have never advanced since then.
They will make a mockery of democracy, at least while the world sends them aid, but they will never live up to it.

Thank you fida for all your posts.

Democracy, “Direct government by the people”, where do we have that. Not here, not anywhere. Its fine to sit here and make judgments based on our theocratic or political views, but nothing will change what is happening in Iraq. It will go on and get worse, as it does anywhere belief systems try to enforce their ways. That goes for factional beliefs, as they are no different, they all want control.

Iraq will implode, as will Palestine and most other religiously controlled states. There is nothing that can be done except wait for the final curtain, the wait may be long. I think the final outcome may be a nuclear one. As others have said, they are already fighting between themselves, so what else is new with religion. Has there ever been a time when religion hasn't been at war with each other.

Everyone raves about how great our democracy is, yet we live in an illegal dictatorship. Our constitution states, and the chief justice of the high court agrees, that all our politicians have been elected unconstitutionally and illegally. The Australian constitution states, that our parliamentary representatives are to be “directly chosen”. Yet we are forced to use a biased preferential vote which makes those elected not directly chosen, but indirectly chosen. If you look at the US, you will find the same situation.

What it boils down to, is that our current sociological systems are at the point of collapse. They have passed their use by date and what we are seeing around the world is the final drowning carnage, always implemented by those that are destined to be bypassed by evolution.

Hamas, Fatah, Shiite Sunni, Jews, christian factions, all from the same gene pool, and all arise from the middle east. As the birth place of monotheistic religions is in meltdown, doesn't that ring any bells as to where we are being led.

I agree with KEITH, that "this could be the turning point for peace in the middle east and the watershed of democracy."

It would be unwise to decry the Bush policies in the Middle East because Hamas won the elections. This is not the denouement of democracy in the region, but its beginning. For people who were cognizant of the long term corruption of Fatah and its total neglect of the Palestinian people, it was not at all surprising that the latter would vote for Hamas, which had fostered health and social service organizations for the people.

Hamas in government however, has to keep its constituents happy, as the majority of them aspire peace with Israel. Moreover, Hamas cannot efford to lose the sympathy of the international community by persisting to be belligerent against Israel, and continue its terrorist attacks. Nor can it efford, more importantly, to lose the financial backing of the US and the EU, which is vital to its existence. And it's rather a forlorn hope, if Hamas really believes this, as some of its leaders have stated, that the loss of this financial support will be made up by the financial support of Arab countries. Once the conduits of its finance run dry, the Palestinian people will revolt against Hamas. And the dress rehearsal of this "revolt" has already been seen with the clashes of Fatah and Hamas supporters, just after the results of the election were made public. Hamas therefore in government, under mounting international pressure, may consider that a diplomatic demarche to its problems with Israel would be the best solution.

Thus, the chess game of democracy in the Middle East still has many openings, and is not checkmated by the electoral victory of Hamas.

KOTZABASIS

Go to my blog for more: NEMESIS http://congeorgekotzabasis

put this in the wrong thread before.

Alchemist - and here I thought your name was based on the book!

You may be right about the constitution, but I would point out that the constitution says nothing about a PM, only an unelected governor general ruling the nation, do you want that as well. As anyone who has studied politics in australia will tell you, our constitution bears no resemblance to how Australia is run.

Your ignorance regarding democracy shows how worthless you position truly is. We live, and have for a hundred years, in a representative democracy (not a direct democracy as you seem to assume). Direct democracy could never work, as there would be no stability of government. For your information, democracy is not just about rule by the people, it is also about the rule of law (which has changed the effect of the constitution), acceptance of capitalism (the right to own something), liberalism (inividuality) and equality before the law (not equality full stop). The fact you only recognise a fraction of what a democracy is, clearly explains why your veiws are so outlandish (hamas outlandish).

get an educatio

Themisticles, nice name and not a bad round up of situation. It is difficult to see how the hamas election could be described as a watershed for democracy, given the fact they have an army other than that of the nation state. It is also arguable if the palestinians really want peace, why would they elect hamas when things are going so well in the peace process. A few hospitals. If you believe this then you must believe the palestinians are one of the most ignorant group of people in the world (not to know that hamas stands against the nation of israel and therefore has little chance of developing peace). And truth to tell, they probably are, given that there are little services (schools) provided by anyone but hamas. Its always amazing how little the hamas, and the palestinian people understand of democracy, they are shocked that the west would like them to disarm. They don't realise any of the basic tenents of democracy (parties cannot have armies etc). Truly amasing that you would claim this a watershed for democracy, unless you mean the re-defining watershed. Perhaps I should start a party (and an army) and see if I can get the islamic ideologues out of australia (I do not mean the ignorant muslims, but their ideologue leaders, who the muslim people are enslaved to (islam means submission).