President Bush gave a fine speech in Belgium today, attempting to bridge the gap in the Western democracies and to explain his vision for spreading democracy in the Middle East and beyond.
He opens with an anecdote about the warm accolades that Benjamin Franklin received on a visit to Europe over two centuries ago. President Bush jokes:
"The observer went on to say, There was scarcely a peasant or citizen who did not consider him as a friend to humankind. I've been hoping for a similar reception.(LAUGHTER)
But Secretary Rice told me I should be a realist. (LAUGHTER)"
While the joke is funny in itself, there is a deeper message here and a foreshadowing of comments to follow. Bush is playing on the Idealism/Realism theme that I blogged about last week. After a good reminder of the shared accomplishments of the US and Europe, including D-Day, liberation of death camps, a democratic post-war Western Europe, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, President Bush states:
"In a new century, the alliance of Europe and North America is the main pillar of our security....Seizing this moment requires idealism; we must see in every person the right and the capacity to live in freedom. Seizing this moment requires realism; we must act wisely and deliberately in the face of complex challenges. And seizing this moment also requires cooperation, because when Europe and America stand together, no problem can stand against us."
President Bush is echoing Dr. Rice's comments on her way to Ireland. It is clear by this example that the State Department and White House are of one mind when it comes to their strategic vision for a new world order. Idealism is required of Europeans to think beyond their borders, to envision a world where liberty is spread and freedom enjoyed. Realism is the strategy for creating a lasting partnership and system, including hard and soft power, to spread democracy in a complex Middle East.
President Bush signals his desire to see two democratic states, that of Israel and Palestine, "living side by side in peace and security". To the leaders of the Middle East he says:
"Arab states must end incitement in their own media, cut off public and private funding for terrorism, stop their support for extremist education, and establish normal relations with Israel."
All of the above ideas would require the focus to be removed from the current Arab government policy of "blame Israel" or blame the West and increase internal scrutiny on their own failing regimes. Later in the speech President Bush says,
"Governments must invest in the health and education of their people, and take responsibility for solving problems instead of simply blaming others. Citizens must choose to hold their governments accountable. "
I will be interested to see if the Bush administration puts energy behind the above declaration.
To loud applause the President states that Palestine should be "contiguous". This will be a contentious proposal to the Israelis. Bush is engaged in the "road map" to peace for this idealistic reason:
"We also know that a free and peaceful Palestine can add to the momentum of reform throughout the broader Middle East."
If the Palestinians are free, why not the Saudis, the Persians or the Syrian people? I suspect that President Bush will work hard in his second term to establish a democratic Palestinian state. He encourages men and women in the Middle East to embrace reform and progress, noting that our own history is still working through expanding freedom to women and minorities.
"Yet while our expectations must be realistic, our ideals must be firm and they must be clear. We must expect higher standards from our friends and partners in the Middle East."
This is a clear message to our friends, not our enemies, that we have expectations for greater progress and freedom from their regimes. He calls on the Saudis and Egyptians to allow their people to determine their future. President Bush lends support to the Lebanese in their desire to have Syrian troops leave. He points to the success of elections in Karbul, Ramallah and Baghdad and " without Syrian interference, Lebanon's parliamentary elections in the spring can be another milestone of liberty."
His main thrust and logic in his argument for greater European cooperation is to link the current conflict to the Europeans' own history.
"Across the Middle East, from the Palestinian territories to Lebanon to Iraq to Iran, I believe that the advance of freedom within nations will build a peace among nations. And one reason for this belief is the experience of Europe. In two world wars, Europe saw the aggressive nature of tyranny and the terrible cost of mistrust and division.
In the Cold War, Europe saw the so-called stability of Yalta was a constant source of injustice and fear. And Europe also saw how the rise of democratic movements like Solidarity could part an iron curtain drawn by tyrants. The spread of freedom has helped to resolve old disputes, and the enlargement of NATO and the European Union have made partners out of former rivals.
America supports Europe's democratic unity for the same reason we support the spread of democracy in the Middle East: because freedom leads to peace. America supports a strong Europe because we need a strong partner in the hard work of advancing freedom and peace in the world.
A democratic Middle East promotes security and peace, just as Europe has proved. While the left will argue yet again that democracy is foreign to the Arab world, the recent elections in three Middle Eastern countries and protests in Lebanon suggest otherwise.
President Bush lends support for the EU to better integrate Yushenko's Ukraine into Europe, and thanks our Polish friends for their help in the Orange Revolution.
He has tough words for Russia with their backsliding on democracy and calls for the Europeans to put this issue at the "heart" of their discussions with Russia.
Credit must be given Mr. Bush for the following line:
We must reject anti-Semitism from any source, and we must condemn violence such as we have witnessed in the Netherlands.
It is encouraging that the leader of the free world speaks out on the death of Theo Van Gogh (Roger Simon should be happy as well as all of us who condemn anti-Semitism).
I will let the end of his speech speak for itself, giving a good defense of the US-European alliance and explaining why we must go the distance in our pursuit of expanding democracy.
Our alliance has the ability and the duty to tip the balance of history in the favor of freedom. We know there are many obstacles and we know the road is long. Albert Camus said that freedom is a long-distance race. We're in that race for the duration.
And there is reason for optimism. Oppression is not the wave of the future; it is the desperate tactic of a few backward-looking men.
Democratic nations grow in strength because they reward and respect the creative gifts of their people. Freedom is the direction of history, because freedom is the permanent hope of humanity.
America holds these values because of ideals long held on this continent. We proudly stand in the tradition of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and the North Atlantic Treaty. The signers of that treaty pledged to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their people's founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.
In this new century, the United States and Europe reaffirm that commitment and renew our great alliance of freedom. May God bless you all.
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