Can we accept a democratically elected 'terrorist' government/country? (contradiction, choice)

[greatcalgarian]

The victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections has set the rest of the world a dilemma.

The Palestinians have chosen Hamas and therefore the democratic choice has to be accepted, especially as spreading democracy in the "Greater Middle East" is the goal of the Bush administration.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4654368.stm
For example, Israel will not talk:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4654368.stm
And we have all types of reaction from different part of the world:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4650196.stm

The United States does not support a political party that wants to destroy our ally Israel. People must renounce that part of their platform. A political party that articulates the destruction of Israel as part of its platform is a party with which we will not deal.

[In other words, only puppet government elected democratically under the supervision of US, will then US recognize that government ]
At least the supposedly neutral UN say something more constructive:

Any group that wishes to participate in the democratic process should ultimately disarm because to carry weapons and participate in a democratic process and sit in parliament, there is a fundamental contradiction and I'm sure they [Hamas] are thinking about that too.

And Tony seems to confused democracy path and violence path?? Can a democratic path be a violent path? Can a dictatorial path be a peaceful path?

It is important for Hamas to understand that there comes a point - and that point is now following that strong showing - where they have to decide between a path of democracy or a path of violence.

[Mr Spinkles]

Originally Posted by greatcalgarian

[In other words, only puppet government elected democratically under the supervision of US, will then US recognize that government ]

No, in other words, the US can't work with any government whose platform is the total destruction of one of its allies. Do you honestly think that is unreasonable?

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to mock the US, but this simply isn't one of them. You should be mocking the Palestinian voters who were foolish enough to throw away all the recent progress towards peace by voting for a party that explicitly says it wants to destroy Israel. Yeah, that agenda will for sure bring peace to the region...

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Well one of the frustrations we have had in the War on Terror is that Terrorism is an ideology of Islamism, and it is not necessarily tied to a geographic area, or country. If (for example) Slovenia gets out of hand as a country, it is not hard to find it on the map, go over there, crush their military and negotiate a truce as the victor sees fit.

The problem with fighting terrorism is that it is a religious ideology, and not a country, which makes it harder to fight. Well if a country is being run by known terrorists, and they get out of sorts, now we know where to go and find them, don't we?

I think they did the Western World a huge favor by electing a terrorist group, now they have shown their true colors as a country, and we don't have to wonder what they were thinking in regards to terror issues.

B.

[greatcalgarian]

Originally Posted by Mr Spinkles

No, in other words, the US can't work with any government whose platform is the total destruction of one of its allies. Do you honestly think that is unreasonable?

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to mock the US, but this simply isn't one of them. You should be mocking the Palestinian voters who were foolish enough to throw away all the recent progress towards peace by voting for a party that explicitly says it wants to destroy Israel. Yeah, that agenda will for sure bring peace to the region...

That is democracy at work. In the same way, the Palestinian may be mocking the US voters who were foolish enough to throw away progress towards peace by Clinton by voting for G. Bush for two terms. It is a matter of opinion, and perspective, and interest towards each side.

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Mr Spinkles

You should be mocking the Palestinian voters who were foolish enough to throw away all the recent progress towards peace by voting for a party that explicitly says it wants to destroy Israel. Yeah, that agenda will for sure bring peace to the region...

See what oppression leads to?

[YmirGF]

Originally Posted by MdmSzdWhtGuy

I think they did the Western World a huge favor by electing a terrorist group, now they have shown their true colors as a country, and we don't have to wonder what they were thinking in regards to terror issues.

Very true.

The ball is in Hamas's court. It all lies on how they react. The Israeli responses are almost moot. The US response is moot. If Hamas can put aside their hatred (I'm sure that will happen, LOL)... and work for a meaningful peace then they will earn their place in history. I, for one, am not holding my breath.

[greatcalgarian]

Originally Posted by MdmSzdWhtGuy

Well one of the frustrations we have had in the War on Terror is that Terrorism is an ideology of Islamism, and it is not necessarily tied to a geographic area, or country. If (for example) Slovenia gets out of hand as a country, it is not hard to find it on the map, go over there, crush their military and negotiate a truce as the victor sees fit.

The problem with fighting terrorism is that it is a religious ideology, and not a country, which makes it harder to fight. Well if a country is being run by known terrorists, and they get out of sorts, now we know where to go and find them, don't we?

I think they did the Western World a huge favor by electing a terrorist group, now they have shown their true colors as a country, and we don't have to wonder what they were thinking in regards to terror issues.

B.

Terrorism is NOT an ideology of Islamism, this is what the West tries to paint the picture that way. Do you consider the Irish problem terrorism? So is the terrorism there an ideology of catholic or protestants?
Terrorism is originating from oppression, and the weaker being exploited and suffered party has no other way to fight for her right except through self-sacrifice through suicidal mean.
As I stressed many times before, to get world peace, and to eliminiate terrorism, it is important to remove the ROOT CAUSE - which is the oppression and exploitation of the unfortunate weaker group. Treat them fairly. The more you use brute force, for example in the case of current Iraqi situation, you are generating more terrorists.

I do not subsribe that terrorism is religious. It is a political manuevering by certain party to utilize religion to achieve the political motive. Just like the Crusade, or the German holocaust, where Jews were killed using the excuse that they were not obedient to God and deserve to be punish. But how often do you hear criticism of Hilter being a religious fanatic related to terrorism ideology? Or that when Israel started building the nation period of mass evacuation of Palestinians etc as ideology terrorism?

[greatcalgarian]

I think they did the Western World a huge favor by electing a terrorist group, now they have shown their true colors as a country, and we don't have to wonder what they were thinking in regards to terror issues.

When the west does not want to really have the Jews and Palestinians living peacefully side by side, this is the best excuse to give, and simply ignoring the fact that the West always proclaim to respect democracy (one man one vote), and now simply refuse to acknowledge that the Palestinians have made their choice through the process of what the west proclaim as the sacred and holy and wanted to introduce to the middle east starting from Iraq. When Palestinian did that, it was bad democracy.

[greatcalgarian]

Originally Posted by YmirGF

Very true.

The ball is in Hamas's court. It all lies on how they react. The Israeli responses are almost moot. The US response is moot. If Hamas can put aside their hatred (I'm sure that will happen, LOL)... and work for a meaningful peace then they will earn their place in history. I, for one, am not holding my breath.

Where does this Hamas hatred come from? Are the Hamas born with this hatred? Is the Hamas hatred justified? Are the Palestinian people given any hope that they will be treated equally with respect and fairly if they can vaporise all their hatreds? Does the Israel hate the Palestinians? Does Israel carry out 'terror' action against the Palestinians? What is it that the Palestinian need to learn in order to earn their place in history?

[Jaiket]

Can we accept a democratically elected 'terrorist' government/country?

"We've" tolerated and supported military dictatorships in the past and present so clearly, yes.