July 28th, 2008 by Sarah

Robert Kagan at National Post’s Full Comment credits the rise of China and Russia for providing a new autocratic model for countries around the globe.  “The question is: How long will the Middle East remain the exception to this pattern? It is possible that, over time, autocracies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia may see virtue in drawing closer to their fellow autocrats in Moscow and Beijing. It is also possible that a more democratic Lebanon, a more democratic Iraq and a more democratic Morocco may form a new bloc of pro-American democracies in the region, alongside the more moderate, democratizing autocracies of Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.”

Paul Wolfowitz at Standpoint.Online criticizes Kagan’s recommendation for a “league of democracies,” arguing that it would likely promote, not discourage, conflict, and that its basis is fragile.  “While shared democratic values may help to draw such a coalition together, they are not necessarily the strongest link. A shared sense of threat…is not only the strongest motivating factor bringing countries together, but also the strongest deterrent to aggressive action by any regional power.”

Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, US foreign policy |