Fw: Lebanon, and Democracy in the Middle East -- What is the U.S. Role?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Guthrie"
To: "Miriam Vieni"
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 3:56 PM
Subject: FCNL: Lebanon, and Democracy in the Middle East -- What is the U.S.
Role?

Recently, the focus in the Middle East has broadened beyond the war and
occupation in Iraq. Elections in the Palestinian Territories and
massive non-violent demonstrations in Lebanon remind us of the wider
region's conflicts, present and past, and opportunities for change.
The Bush administration has cited these events as evidence of the
success of its Iraq war campaign. Ironically, as the security situation
in Iraq fails and reconstruction stalls, the President has pointed to
these other areas and shouted, "Freedom is on the march."

Not so fast. First, if there is to be progress toward democracy and
freedom in the Middle East, the United States must declare
unequivocally that it has no imperial ambitions in Iraq. The
President's refusal to state that the U.S. will leave Iraq is
increasing violence in that country and instability in the region.
Attention should not be turned away from the ongoing U.S. occupation.
Secondly, the situation is not as simple as the Bush administration
would like to claim. While some events do point to potential progress
in the Middle East, the situation requires additional explanation.

Three New Articles

To help place these complex events in context, FCNL is distributing a
new analysis about current events in Lebanon and two commentaries which
analyzed the recent democratic openings in the Middle East.

FCNL is fortunate to have Helena Cobban, a member of Charlottesville
(VA) Friends Meeting, examine the events currently unfolding in
Lebanon. In "Decoding Lebanon," Helena explains the
complexities of Lebanon's domestic politics and emphasizes the need for
the U.S. and others to end outside pressure and influence in that
country. Helena worked in Lebanon as a journalist from 1975 through
1981, and considers that her experiences there--trying to run a
household and raising children under the conditions of a prolonged
civil war--helped her to understand important aspects of the nature of
violence and warfare.

Helena has also written a critique of the latest argument here in
Washington that the new wave of democracy sweeping through the Middle
East is a direct positive consequence of the U.S. decision to invade
Iraq.

And finally, to round out the presentation, Senior Fellow Dan Smith has
also developed an insightful commentary, Democracy Hijacked, on the
same subject which FCNL is distributing today.

Decoding Lebanon by Helena Cobban -
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DOWYELQNPC/OSQDELQNTI/

Democratization and War in the Middle East by Helena Cobban -
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DOWYELQNPC/HGPUELQNTJ/

Democracy Hijacked by Col. Dan Smith -
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DOWYELQNPC/AFCQELQNTK/

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Friends Committee on National Legislation
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