The end of the
Cold War ushered a new political era in the world – that of the liberal
political order. While this movement began in Eastern Europe, it quickly spread,
in part, to every continent. The result was that it ended up leading to a
situation where Western liberal democratic ideals were adopted, at least in
part. A consequence was that the United States, and its liberal democratic
allies, took it upon themselves to ensure that the whole world became a part of
the democratic order. They sought to make sure that those countries that had
previously been dictatorships ended up adopting democratic systems of government.
One of the most
important events to take place in the twenty first century is the American
invasion of Iraq under the pretext that it had weapons of mass destruction. The
result was that a relatively stable government under Saddam Hussein that had
been in power for decades was overthrown. Later evidence showed that Iraq did
not have any weapons of mass destruction, and in fact, had ended its chemical
and biological weapons programs after the end of the First Gulf War. Since the overthrow
of Hussein, Iraq has never known peace because it has not only faced
considerable sectarian government, but it has also had to endure an American
occupation, and the rise of terrorism. Under Hussein, such groups as al Qaeda
had no way of getting into the country because of the powerful security apparatus
that had been in place. However, with the overthrow of the secular Baathist
regime, the situation changed with first the rise of al Qaeda in Iraq, and its
later incarnation, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Iraq has since
then been mired in conflict with the country being effectively divided into
Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish regions; showing that Iraq as a nation might be
doomed.
Another instance
of an attempt to bring about democracy that has turned sour is the overthrow of
Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. Despite being an autocrat, Gaddafi had been at the
helm of Libya for over forty years, and during this time, he had ensured that
the country’s oil wealth was used for its development. Libya had risen from
being one of the poorest countries in Africa to one of its most prosperous with
its people having a high standard of living that people in some Western
countries would have envied. However, the events that are called the Arab
Spring took place and in Libya, the rebellion was based in the city of
Benghazi. Gaddafi’s swift attempt to crush a rebellion that had the potential of
destabilizing the whole of Libya was met with Western condemnation and active
action, through NATO, to overthrow him. The success of the NATO operation
created a power vacuum that has yet to be filled because since Gaddafi’s death,
Libya has essentially been a failed state. It is divided between two main
factions based in Tripoli and Tobruk, in addition to the presence of ISIS and largely
autonomous tribal entities that have ensured the continued conflict in the
country.
The promotion of
Western liberal ideals had a direct influence on the development of the Arab
Spring and the destabilization of Egypt, formerly one of the most successful
states in the MENA region. Hosni Mubarak, the long-time Egyptian president who
had been in power for three decades and had been a force of stability in the
country ended up being forced to step down. He was replaced by Mohamed Morsi, a
Muslim Brotherhood candidate who actively sought to make sure that Egypt became
an Islamic state. This highly divisive figure was overthrown one year later by
the military under Fatah el Sisi. El Sisi, the current president, has returned
Egypt to a semblance of stability despite being accused of repression. However,
by the time he took power, the damage - following the chaos that had taken
place in the aftermath of the fall of Mubarak in the form of continuous protest,
and ISIS-affiliated groups taking root in the Sinai Peninsula - had already
been done.
Therefore, imposed
democracy is not always the best form of government within the various
cultures, and countries across the world. Instead, it has to be allowed to
evolve on its own because it will more likely gain wide acceptance, and institutions
aimed at protecting minorities from oppression will be put in place.
Overthrowing autocratic regimes that are a force for stability in many
countries is an exercise in futility because it does not take into account the
need to promote conditions aimed at bringing about the evolution of egalitarian
systems of government.
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