Sunday, May 01, 2011

Is Russia Too Big For A Democracy Movement?

TRIPOLI. With leader of the Libyan Revolution ...Image via WikipediaThere are those who say Tunisia is one thing, Egypt is big, but Egypt is one thing, Gaddafi is a dictator, but he is one thing, but Russia is too big, Putin is too powerful. You can't be talking in terms of a democracy movement for Russia.

I would argue otherwise.

Precisely because Russia is so big, it deserves to have a bigger and better democracy movement than we have seen so far in the Arab world. It might happen in Russia before it happens in China.

Military action is out of question. It is not realistic to think you can bomb Russia. I never wanted to bomb Libya in the first place. But what I do prescribe for Russia is massive, massive street action. A people have to pay that price if they want liberty, if they want free speech, if they want democracy. Massive street
King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. (2002 photo)Image via Wikipediaaction is like everyone decided to go to school, the school of political consciousness.

A democracy that comes from massive street action will necessarily have a better, smoother transition period that follows the success of a revolution.

Saudi Arabia and Iran before Russia, and Russia before China. I think that is what we might be looking at.

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