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Realists vs. Idealists

(International Herald Tribune) Henry A. Kissinger - In a world of jihad, terrorism, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, President Bush in his second inaugural address elaborated that the U.S. seeks progress toward freedom, not its ultimate achievement in a defined time, and that it recognizes the historical evolution that must be the foundation of any successful process. On this basis, realists and idealists should go forward together, keeping the following principles in mind: * The process of democratization does not depend on a single decision and will not be completed in a single stroke. Elections, however desirable, are only the beginning of a long enterprise. * Americans need to understand that successes do not end their engagement but most probably deepen it, for as we involve ourselves, we bear the responsibility even for results we did not anticipate. * Elections are not an inevitable guarantee of a democratic outcome. Radicals like the Hizballah and Hamas seem to have learned the mechanics of democracy in order to undermine it and establish total control.
2005-05-13 00:00:00
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