4-28-05, 8:44 am

Is it American democracy or American arbitrariness?        From People's Daily Online

'Rose Revolution'', 'Orange Revolution'', 'Lemon Revolution'': Within a short period of time the political powers of Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan have changed colors. The ruling parties in these countries failed in general elections while the opposition parties seized the powers. 'Color revolution'' makes people dazzling. Fling the internal political situations in these countries away it is the indispensable operation behind the scenes manipulated by the United States that the 'color revolution'' can succeed in the countries. The US government does not deny this, showing self-satisfaction. But knowledgeable people point out, there are three deadly weak points for the 'democratic offensive'' the Bush administration has launched.

First, the motive that the Bush administration 'exports democracy'' to other countries is impure. It is not for letting the people of other countries live a rich life like Americans do that the US government exports American democracy, but for their own interests. This is the double-standard crux that the US government often adopts on the issue of democracy. It is for fostering pro-American regimes that the Bush administration instigates 'color revolution'' in the Central Asia. By doing so the US will surround Russia further from geopolitical strategy, in order to prevent the latter from regaining its past successes. And for its own out-and-out supporter, even this country is autocratic in US' view, the US government will turn a blind eye to it too. In short, even if there is something democratic as long as it is disadvantageous to the US the US government will suppress it too. Samuel P. Huntington, Professor with Harvard University and US well-known scholar, once pointed out precisely: 'Democracy needs promotion, but if the democracy makes the Islamic fundamentalists come into power, then that will be a horse of another color.

Second, Bush administration's way of 'exporting democracy'' is immoral. The method that the US government exports democracy is autocratic extremely. This includes conspiracy behind the scenes, willful subversion, monetary bribes or even launching a war. Unexpectedly a few days ago the American army kidnapped two Iraqi women by force in Baghdad with the inexplicable reason of 'safeguarding Iraq's democracy'', aiming at forcing their male relatives at large to give themselves up. In order to promote the so-called democracy in the Middle East and in the Central Asia, the US government has spent much silver. American Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan once said publicly, they have spent more than 10 million US dollars on the oppositions in Kyrgyzstan. At the same time they have asked the US Congress to add more than 20 million US dollars in order to help the oppositions to rise in revolt against their government with the aim of forcing their government down finally. This is similarly true for other countries too. The soft and hard strength from the US has interfered and destroyed the normal electoral procedures of these countries. It is hard to say that this kind of elections is democratic and just. This forced underhanded way of 'democracy'' makes the 'democracy'' that the US government advocates cut rate. Third, dangerous consequences are available for the Bush administration to 'export democracy'' by force. Historical experiences prove time and again that the things exported by force may not be acclimatized and go bad with alienation. A comment published by Britain's 'Guardian'' points out, 'It is very dangerous to think that the (western) standardized mode of democracy is universally suitable, can achieve successes in any place, solve the present difficult problem surmounting national border lines and bring along peace instead of making confusion''. In fact, the activities of 'disseminating democracy'' have aggravated national conflicts, causing national splitting in multinational areas after the First World War and the Cold War. At present the chaotic situations in the Middle East and the Central Asia seem to hint that US 'democracy promotion'' has opened a Pandora box bringing along a new round of national conflicts''.

Probably realizing forcible 'democracy promotion'' has brought about questions, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research specialized in policy research under the US Department of State has drafted a research paper recently with the topic being quite thought-provoking - 'Iraq, the Middle East and innovation: domino won't work. I wonder whether this report could let those people making earnest efforts to promote American democracy become a little calmer.

The 'democratic offensive'' pursued by the Bush administration shows to the world that in fact it is not the American democracy that is lovable, but the American arbitrariness that is hateful.