tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post115505596432504114..comments2024-03-19T12:02:20.597+03:00Comments on Gathara's World: What Price Peace?Gatharahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05615274760892257015noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-27000770399437715512006-08-28T10:26:00.000+03:002006-08-28T10:26:00.000+03:00Gathinga,
As I stated in another post democracy is...Gathinga,<br />As I stated in <a href="http://gathara.blogspot.com/2006/08/in-voter-we-trust.html">another post</a> democracy is more than just elections. I agree that it was a mistake for the West to ignore the Hamas victory but we should not equate the election with the dawn of democracy in Palestine. It is a big step but not a sufficient one.<br />The people of Somalia do have right to choose their desired form of government. However, this is not an absolute right. For more than a decade they have chosen or endured anrchy and this has had repercussions here in Kenya. If now we accept that extremists who adore Osama bin Laden can be allowed to set up camp on our borders, do you think this will bring us greater security?Gatharahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05615274760892257015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-52969973141172080782006-08-27T12:22:00.000+03:002006-08-27T12:22:00.000+03:00its a cas e of willing mbuyer willing seller. the ...its a cas e of willing mbuyer willing seller. the somali people have been provided with several options in govt. the TNG of Abdulahhi Yusuf, the segmented rule by the warlords and lately the UIC. Clearly they have a made a decision of prefernce to the UIC. One has to recognize their right to determine the way they wish to be governed. If they choose the extremists, who are we to lecture them? Democracy is a funny thing. The Palestinians elected Hamas to goverment. The US and the west shuned the govt and cut their funding. Deos it mean democary isnt ok when elements not popular with us are elected. With this one incidence the west ahs lost all credibility to preach freedom and freewillgathingahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02470160821650563544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-1155303391751419812006-08-11T16:36:00.000+03:002006-08-11T16:36:00.000+03:00AcolyteTo quote Winston Churchill, "it has been sa...Acolyte<BR/>To quote Winston Churchill, "it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." The "indigenous" systems in the 3 countries you mentioned don't seem to have worked very well. Why not try a little freedom?Gatharahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05615274760892257015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-1155301343557512222006-08-11T16:02:00.000+03:002006-08-11T16:02:00.000+03:00Acolyte and Anonymous,It is not me who is making t...Acolyte and Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>It is not me who is making the connection to Al Qaida. It is members of the Courts themselves who say Osama is the friend of the Somalis. <BR/><BR/>The Islamic Courts in Somalia are very unlike the courts of the Western and Westernised world. First, the term "courts" is a misnomer in their case (pardon the pun). They may have started off as courts of justice but now they are a full militia in the same way that the Taliban started off as students and became fighters and governors but still retained the "student" title. Secondly, while western court systems are based on Judeo-Christian precepts, I do not think it is correct to say religion is the ultimate guide as is the case with Sharia. <BR/><BR/>I appreciate that the Courts have brought a semblance of order to the areas under their control. What concerns me is their agenda. They have stated that they want to implement their particular brand of Islamic law. This, taken in conjunction with their statements on Al Qaida, makes me very nervous. I do not mean to cause offence but I am of the firm opinion that religion is and should be an individual thing, not something the state imposes.I have no problem with those who wish to be Muslims. Just don't try to force it down my throat.<BR/><BR/>I strongly disagree with Acolyte's characterisation of Saudi Arabia. The Wahabbis of that country are at the forefront of formenting extremism and exporting it to the rest of the world. These are people who would rather let their girls die in a burning building rather than escape unveiled as happened a few years ago. The vast majority of the 9/11 suicide bombers were from Saudi Arabia as is Osama himself. This is hardly a country of moderates.Gatharahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05615274760892257015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-1155275138199169412006-08-11T08:45:00.000+03:002006-08-11T08:45:00.000+03:00The comparison to the taliban is wrong. For an Afr...The comparison to the taliban is wrong. For an African you seem to have latched on to the western perception of anything Islamic must be al-qaeda. Somalia is not Afganistan and the UIC is not Taliban. Somalis were fed up with the terror of the warlords and rose up. The courts are nothing but a reflection of people power and Islam is one thing that unites Somalis. Please learn more about what is happening in areas under the UIC control and compare with the recent past. Then make an informed judgement of your own. I am a Somali and I must tell you that I find it offensive when I hear this comparison.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32060070.post-1155128269774581502006-08-09T15:57:00.000+03:002006-08-09T15:57:00.000+03:00I don't think there is an instant connection with ...I don't think there is an instant connection with Islamic Courts and extremism.It is like saying that the rise of Courts based on Judae-christian law are behind christian fundamentalism.It isnt the courts per se that are the problem but the tolerance of the extremist element that use them as a vessel to spread extremism.Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries have islamic courts and they havent been taken over because they make an effort to deal with the extremist element there.<BR/>The fact is on the other hand that "democracy" is Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia has given the people very little.Democracy isnt a panacea, what needs to be done is to work within these idigenous systems to make them work not scrap them and leave a vacuum!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com