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The Spectacle Blog
The votes are being counted in Tunisia’s elections which were held yesterday and it appears that the Islamist Ennahda Party is doing very well. Even if it doesn’t win the most votes, Ennahda will probably be part of the new governing coalition.
When Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia back in January, I expressed concern about how al Qaeda had expressed its support for the discontent (as it subsequently has in Libya.) However, Daniel Larison of The American Conservative was skeptical of my argument. Larison argued that the influence of, as he put it, “the so-called Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb” was “minimal, and the group is no position politically or militarily to impose anything on Tunisia.” Yet consider what Larison wrote about Ennahda:
Tunisia is the one of the countries where we needn’t worry very much about the Islamist nature of opposition to the regime, because the opposition is largely composed of entirely different groups. The remnants of An-Nahda are not very politically significant, and radical jihadist groups from outside the country are even less so.
Yet just over two weeks after Ben Ali went into exile, Ennahda’s leader Rachid Ghannouchi returned to Tunisia after nearly twenty years in London and his presence would breathe new life into Ennahda. Larison completely underestimated Ennahda’s resonance with the Tunisian electorate.
It is worth noting that the liberal media in this country are casting Ennahda as a “moderate Islamist party” which “believes that Islam should be the reference point for the country’s system and laws but maintains it will respect women’s rights and is committed to democracy and working with other parties.”
But if the word of a woman is worth half that of man under Sharia law, I don’t see how Tunisia can respect women’s rights. Nor do I see how a Tunisia run by Islamists would be prepared to relinquish power if it lost an election much less be prepared to compromise with more secular parties. And what about Tunisia’s non-Muslims?
I would hasten to add that by all appearances Tunisia’s election appears to have been conducted freely and fairly. Yet I fear that Tunisia’s first free and fair election might also be its last.
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More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/10/24/will-islamists-win-in-tunisia
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Eric Dondero | 10.24.11 @ 11:03AM
But hey, the Islamists are no threat. Geez, if only we didn't have "Troops in 160 countries worldwide" they'd just leave us alone. It has nothing to do with their hatred of the West and our Western values of tolerance, individual liberties and free speech. Nah. It's all because the United States is an "imperialist" Nation.
Isn't that what the Ron Paulists say?
W| 10.24.11 @ 1:26PM
No, it is what Rev Wright, Obama's minister, said, and what Obama and many Democrats said.
We are not running agaisnt Ron Paul, we are running against Obama. Focus on who is in power.
Occam's Tool| 10.24.11 @ 1:43PM
I think what Mr. Dondero is saying is that this is where Paul and Obama have conguent attitudes. Paul and Kucinich vote together on foreign policy issues.
I, myself, think "Nation Building" in Islamic lands is useless until "Nation Pounding" is thoroughly achieved and "Nation surrendering" occurs. I despise my enemies, but I respect them. It took a lot to pull Japan and Germany down in WWII.
Quartermaster| 10.24.11 @ 7:24PM
In reality we did not engage in nation building in either of the defeated powers of WW2. We worked within their culture to redirect their institutions in a more reasonable direction. That both Japan and Germany were crushed helped a great deal.
An Islamic country, however, would require not just re-direction, but wholesale rebuilding starting with the destruction of Islam as an influence. Islam is the problem in those countries and any solution that refused to recognize that fact is no solution.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 2:51PM
Uh Oh !
Screwball Israel Firster Maniac,Tool Job Is Badmouthing Our Tea Party Co-Favorite Presidential Candidate Dr.Ron Paul, Again.
Dr.Ron Paul,
"While President Obama’s demand that Israel
make hard concessions in her border conflicts may very well be in her
long-term interest, only Israel can make that determination on her own,
without pressure from the United States or coercion by the United
Nations.
“Unlike this President, I do not believe it is our place to dictate how
Israel runs her affairs. There can only be peace in the region if those
sides work out their differences among one another. We should respect
Israel’s sovereignty and not try to dictate her policy from Washington.
“The President also defended his unconstitutional intervention in Libya,
authorized not by the United States Congress but by the United Nations,
and announced new plans to pressure Syria and force the leader of that
country to step down."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
muntai| 10.25.11 @ 8:06PM
wow..very enlightening discussion. from what i can read here...this site is supported with uncivilised, undemocratic, pathetic secularists who have no faith in democracy. no wonder people are leaving your secular faith in drove and start to accept islam as their way of life - as proven in staunchly secular tunisia and turkey.