(Miami Herald) Frida Ghitis - The crushing defeat of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship has fueled an extraordinary display of introspection and vocal self-criticism in the Arab world. Few people in the Arab world are ready to openly praise the Americans, but many have started challenging the system that has made the region a land of political oppression, human-rights abuses, and religious extremism. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict indeed is paramount in the minds of Arabs. But now there are more conversations about how the Palestinian issue has been exploited and used to avoid tackling other injustices. The calls for democracy are becoming better organized, even as radical Islamists make gains within the new democratic institutions.
2003-05-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive