I was on a TV show the other day with an Israeli diplomat, who declared that Israel is the only democracy in the Mideast. I’ve certainly heard that many times over the years — including here, here, and here — and have even repeated it myself.
Isn’t it time we retired that notion? This week we read about Hesbollah’s election defeat in Lebanon and the tightly fought campaign in Iran, featuring ralliles, viral YouTube videos and televised debates. In the past few years ago we honored the purple fingers of the Iraqis who had gone to the polls, and bemoaned the results of the elections in Gaza that gave authority to Hamas.
I recognize that these countries don’t have all the characteristics of democracy — sufficient religious freedom, for instance — but they have the most important one: elections.