Hamas

[Occhidiangela]

The election of a Palestinian Hamas government is interesting on a number of angles:

- The 'west' seems to be all for democracy, but only if the right people are voted for
- The 'west'ern media seems happy to call the Hamas government a terrorist organisation, but a look at profiles of the leadership show that (regardless of terrorist actions) these are not foolish people.  The leadership contains/contained a physicist, a surgeon, a philanthropist that built palestinian facilities etc.
- The election of Hamas, may give Isreal (and or the U.S.? (&co.?)) a legitimate reason to declare war on palestine, should the Hamas government continue with certain statements while in power.

Perhaps our foreign ministersaid it best saying (paraphrased obviously) that the democratic decision of the Palestinian people should be respected... and there are some things that you can say in opposition, that if said in government would constitute a declaration of war.
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Elections do not make a democracy, nor do they guarantee a sound governmental structure. Quite the opposite, you need a sound social structure and social contract for an election to have meaning.

Elections are but one of many elements required to build a representative government. The critiques of democracy being a poor and self immolating form of government (versus a republic) include the dangers of public emotions as policy foundation. Emotion seems to me a driving force behind Hamas' recent electoral success. That is still no excuse for the "west" to declare war due to a party platform. As well to declare war on Vincente Fox for his blind support of invasion/illegal immigration assault on the US. (Whoa, wait a minute, there's a pregnant idea!)

I offer Haiti as an example of a place where an election (Aristide) didn't ensure that whoever won was a decent or legitimate ruler. Haiti remained and remains a basket case, even when the mob's choice took office. Aristide, within months of taking power, violated the Constitution on at least four counts. The mess (I refer to 1994, it has since repeated) led to a coup. Haiti had the advantage of being a nation state, but that couldn't save it from itself. It is still a ward of the UN and aid giving nations.

The issue of sovereignty for the Palestinians is an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a conundrum, to misquote Churchill. They aren't yet a sovereign nation state. They are a work in progress. I don't envy Hamas (or any of the Palestinian factions) the work they have ahead of them in establishing their sovereign identity, particularly as outside players will not let them alone to grow within their own political context.

The biggest risk Hamas faces is the risk any political party or political leading body faces, that of believing its own line of BS. That can lead to flawed policy, impractical energy directed at self defeating ends (see Arafat comment above) and an unstable policy base. We've had our share of such political bodies in the reasonably stable and sovereign land of the USA. (Among others, I refer to LB Johnson's crowd and the contemporary neo conservative clique.)

"Degree of difficulty" for the Palestinian Authority, having little economic foundation and no clear nation state status, goes up by an order of magnitude, or two.

As Ashock noted, the general policy since 1948 on the Arab side has been the premise that Israel as a nation state has no right to exist. (The Jordanian and Egyptian accomodations were heavily influenced by American bribery.) As of today, the model of "Might Makes Right" says Israel will exist. Hamas' platform, if we are to believe it on the "drive them into the sea" themeis a "Might Makes Right" platform absent credible might, unless allied players provide it. (Another analogue to Israel.)

They'll either get wise, or they'll get what the mob are apparently calling for: more war, in one form or another.

Joy. War can destroy a nation as well as "build one" from the ashes of conflict. :angry: Hamas risks taking its people on the path to self immolation. In that regard, Ashock National Socialist comment resonates, Goodwin's law has not been invoked just yet. :)

Whybish, I don't see why anyone "must respect" the Palestinian mob for their choice anymore than I respect the Haitian mob.

"Be careful what you wish for, as you are sure to get it."

As in America, one tends to get the government one deserves, which isn't always what is best for the country, when an election is concluded.

Occhi