Abu Aardvark updates us on King Abdullah's trip to the United States. Sadly, President Bush, supposed friend of freedom and democracy, did an appalling, truly abysmal, job of putting any public pressure on the king to support reforms. I'm not the biggest fan of this administration's supposed go-go-go democracy agenda. But if you believe in it, one place in the region that we unquestionably have a great deal of influence is tiny, broke Jordan. And yet Bush had nothing but sweet-nothings to say about the king's illiberal, strong-armed monarchy. More and more it appears that we only really care about democracy when 1) the government involved is an enemy or competitor (and, usually, very weak) or 2) when a friend was planning a few movements (which might not have any substantive implications) in that direction anyway. Or put another way, Bush likes it when it's convenient (hmmm ... imagine that in a Church Lady tone ... think there's any chance of bringing Dana Carvey back to SNL?).
The post also notes that there is one North American who will apparently ask the king tough questions - ABC's Peter Jennings. That must please the true-believers in this movement (whoever they are) no end - their fight is being waged not by the president, but by someone who's both a stalwart of the MSM and Canadian.
Posted by armand at March 16, 2005 07:27 PM | TrackBack | Posted to International Affairs