OP/ED: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror

Natan Sharansky, is a former Soviet dissident who wrote a book entitled "The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror". Through this book he argues that the only way to have peace in the Middle East is throught freedom. He also argues that western liberals are not embracing the human rights and the plight of the good people in the Middle East, yet despite this lack of support, the voice of many good Arab dissidents can be heard louder as they seek freedom, such as the youth in Iran. Sharansky also states that all Arab dictatorships must be pressured to liberalize, and that this effort to spread freedom around the world "must be led and inspired by the US." " Only America," says Sharansky, "possesses both the clarity and courage that is necessary to defeat evil. "



Sharansky has been a dissident who has fought for freedom and the need for this freedom to be spread around the world since he lived in Russia under the totalitarian government of the communists, where he spent 9 years in a KGB prison for spreading these same ideas in the communist country. He argues that every "good man and woman" in the world wants to live in a free society, even those good Arabs who live in totalitarian regimes controlled by Islamic extremists and governments that sponsor such extremists.

Related News Links:
Two Great Dissidents Natan Sharansky’s vision, and President Bush’s.

Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky

Our Test for Abu Mazen


[edit on 20-1-2005 by ZeddicusZulZorander]

By the overwhelming response that I see to this thread i see that Natan Sharansky was right. The liberal west have no interest for the voice of freedom of the people in the middle east....

You would think that liberals would want the same for others on the planet who are seeking for those freedoms so many take for granted....

Muaddib even when your post is very interesting you have to understand that some of your views are very strong and may keep people away from responding because they will be afraid of how to answer to you post.

Now in my view, I always feel that only when people is ready to face freedom from their oppressors they will embrace that freedom.

The middle east countries are countries of ancient traditions that will not be change over night.

Is not right to force freedom to countries that are not ready, that would bring hostilities against the true intentions of the liberators.

Some people wants freedom some others are fine and satisfy by the type of government they have.

For countries to have successful changes it has to come from withing their countries and withing the willingness of their people.

Only then these countries can embrace long lasting freedom.

[edit on 16-1-2005 by marg6043]

Marg i can assure you that many people in countries in the world would have the US take care of the regimes they are under in a second... Look at the Iranian demonstrations by the youth..they want the US to help them...

Contrary to what most of the news come out of Iraq, if you look at what the real moderates are saying about the US in Iraq you will be stunned that this is not reported more on the news.... But the media has other agendas in mind, and only post what is going wrong in Iraq.

The north and south of Iraq are relatively without any violence compared to what Saddam and his loyal forces were doing to these people before the war....and videos and reports coming from there show the appreciation these people have for what the coalition has done.... I have presented in here already many links showing this, including an American actor who went to Iraq and see how the situation was really there, and wether or not people were happy of being freed from Saddam and his regime.

What is happening now in Iraq is that insurgents from other countries, including Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia etc, are going to sections in the middle of Iraq and helping the insurgents that are still loyal to Saddam.


[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

Under the Bush maladministration things edge closer every day towards totalitarianism and tyranny.

Many of the statements of Sharansky about political dissidence and overcoming apathy are very applicable to the USA today, as well as parts of the middle east.

Being dissident and anti-Bush is to be commended, and the philosophy of freedom espoused by the article is inspiring.

The parts of Iraq that are safe zones are the ones inhabit by the Kurds, they are chosen to stay away from the rest of Iraq, and as you know they want their own autonomy.

Something that the US will have to face in the near feature, if these people are not given their autonomy I am afraid that they will fight for their freedom, and as you know they are as peaceful right now as the rest of the lands they maintain with strong control of their cities and borders.

Is not doubt that Iraqi people mostly Shiites are very grateful to the US for their freedom from Saddam regime.

But Iraq is not the land of one group is the land of the Sunnis also, so the struggle is between Sunnis minority out of power and the Shiite majorities now free.

The Kurds are the third group and they already enjoy elected freedom away from the struggles of the rest of the nation.

The insurgency in Iraq is originally from batik party pro Saddam and Sunnis.

The terrorist are groups from other nations that are taking advantage of the problems of control in Iraq and are taking actions against US and they care not who is caught in the middle.

The same way Sunni insurgents will target civilians, police and military Shiites alone with US troops or personnel.

How do I know well all you have to see is who is the ones that still stay after all the targeting to the Iraqi forces and who are the ones that will run at the first site of trouble, Sunni versus Shiites comes to mind.

I feel very sorry for the majority Shiites that wants a better Iraq after years of Saddam oppression but their casualties are heavy at the hands of rival tribes, and out of the country terrorist.

Is a long struggle in Iraq to come, and is going to be very hard to overcome the rivalry and the calls of autonomy from the tribes that make the Iraqi nation.

The problems in Iraq should not need to be if the invasion was done with proper planning and carefull tactics.

And by the way people has to want to be free for democracy and freedom to work.

Perhaps you did not notice that he is not anti-Bush, he is actually pro-Bush, and Bush has been reading Sharansky's work as well as others like Sharansky who have really lived under dictatorships.....
You obviously seem to have missed this because of your hatred....

I gave a link in the orginal article where Sharansky talks with Condolezza rice and she explains to him why it is that she is reading Sharanky's works.

When Natan Sharansky stepped into Condoleezza Rice's West Wing office at 11:15 last Thursday morning, he had no idea the national security advisor would soon be named the next secretary of state. He was just glad to see her holding a copy of his newly published book, The Case for Democracy.


"I'm already half-way through your book," Rice said. "Do you know why I'm reading it?"

Sharansky, a self-effacing man who spent nine years in KGB prisons (often in solitary confinement) before becoming the first political prisoner released by Mikhail Gorbachev, hoped it had to do with his brilliant analysis and polished prose.

Rice smiled. "I'm reading it because the president is reading it, and it's my job to know what the president is thinking."

A close friend of the president had sent over a copy several weeks earlier with a note urging him to take a close look. The president nearly polished it off during a weekend at Camp David, then suggested to Rice that she read it as well.

Excerpted from.
www.nationalreview.com...

BTW...Masket Avatar....i want to see a show of hands of people in here that have been imprisoned in the US for their ideas, not for resorting to violence, but for trying to just express their ideas...as what you have been doing in these forums for what...over a year? or two years?......




[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

Marg.... careful planning and tactics don't always work for the best.... Anything can happen in war even with careful planning and the worse can happen.... it is unpredictable what could happen in a war, only at the end of a war can you sit down and find out exactly what went wrong and what you could have done better.... You make it sound like it is very easy to control the outcome of a war....it is not...

BTW, those that were not loyal to Saddam did want freedom...just like Iranians are now demonstrating and praising the work that the coalition has been doing in Iraq even after all the fiascos that happened... War is uncontrollable, you can never be sure what the outcome is going to be...and you can never control what every soldier or officer is going to do, even when they are given orders.

[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

... or perhaps I did notice.

The principles espoused are pro-freedom, pro-democracy and anti-tyranny. That's anti-Bush to anyone else who noticed.

I saw him on FOX News a while ago. Great post Muad'Dib! This guy is totally pro-Bush. George read his book and he met with the author in the Oval Office discussing it for several hours. I do hope freedom and democracy will reign in the Middle East.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
... or perhaps I did notice.

The principles espoused are pro-freedom, pro-democracy and anti-tyranny. That's anti-Bush to anyone else who noticed.

Well, Sharansky and others who have lived under tyranny, have you?...., beg to differ with your claim....

Please do tell us about your struggles in the US... your years in prison for stating your ideas....the thousands of American deaths done by what you call the evil American government....

The world used to respond to the call of freedom over 100 years ago if anyone anywhere in the world asked for help....now that call for freedom is only being anwsered by a few countries...while the rest of the countries in the world praise real dictators, murderers and oppressors....and call them good people and give them Nobel Peace prizes or nominate these dictators for the Nobel peace prize.....



[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

You know Muaddib I always wonder why US has allowed through the years for Castro to stay in power, and I wonder also why the people of Cuba the same way Castro took his predecessor somebody with help from the exiles Cubans in the US has not taken Castro out of power.

After all the amount of people from Cuba that has taken upon their hands to fight the seas to come to the US for freedom should be enough to take their country back.

I see more desire for freedom coming from the citizens of Cuba than from any other country in the world.

I still don't understand why US has done nothing to help.

US sanctions against Cuba has done damage to the people not the government because after all Castro is still the ruler.

I wonder sometimes about the priorities of our leaders when it comes to take away totalitarian and terrible leaders.

Originally posted by marg6043

I still don't understand why US has done nothing to help.

Because there was a pact done by Kennedy for the US never to attack Cuba again as long as the Russians did not have their missiles in Cuba pointing at the US... that's why....

This is also why so many Cubans and others that were already at the Bay of Pigs ready to liberate Cuba from the communists died....

[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

Originally posted by Muaddib
Well, Sharansky and others who have lived under tyranny, have you?...., beg to differ with your claim....

First of all, you are asking us to agree with Sharansky's claims even though we haven't lived under opprsive conditions comparable to Sharansky. Then, when we voice opinions about other oppresive governments, you attempt to silence us by questioning whether we have lived under the same conditions as Sharansky. So basically, if we haven't been sent to jail for expressing our natural rights, then we don't have room to talk.

Well, you know what? I've been to jail and am currently under probation for smoking marijuana. A plant that has been here long before the idea of America ever existed resulted in my prosecution. That is an oppresive government. While you or others may agree with such laws, remember there are other people in this world who don't share your views. There are currently no laws in place restricting the freedom of speech with regards to expressing disapproval at government, but there are societal "laws" that work both ways.

Just because some place is worse or more oppresive doesn't mean America is ideal by any means. Bush did not start this trend of oppression either. In my opinion, it has been happening since the Civil War, but Bush certainly is not helping any.

While it is admirable to fight for the freedom of other countries, we don't live there, we live here in America. America is my home and the freedom of this country takes precedence over all others. "If you don't like it, you can get out."

Marg, I have already mentioned in the past and given links as to who is really oppresing the Cuban people.... Cuba used to have everything that was necessary for it's infrastructure... All products, or the mayority and the best ones are exported from Cuba to other countries so that castro and his communists stay rich, while the Cubans suffer....

Very interesting, but that was almost 40 years ago, I still think that if Cubans raise against Castro US will not have any choice but to intervine in behave of the Cuban people.

Originally posted by Jamuhn

Well, you know what? I've been to jail and am currently under probation for smoking marijuana. A plant that has been here long before the idea of America ever existed resulted in my prosecution.

While it is admirable to fight for the freedom of other countries, we don't live there, we live here in America. America is my home and the freedom of this country takes precedence over all others. "If you don't like it, you can get out."

I have asked for proof that this is an oppressive government.... Masked Avatar, and you among others, are claiming you are being oppressed...
...and all you have to show is that you went to prison by doing marijuana...btw what else were you doing at the time?.... i don't think the police went into your house because they saw you smoke marijuana.....

What you want is to live under an anarchy...not to live in a Republic....

[edit on 16-1-2005 by Muaddib]

Originally posted by marg6043
Very interesting, but that was almost 40 years ago, I still think that if Cubans raise against Castro US will not have any choice but to intervine in behave of the Cuban people.

That shows that American presidents will uphold pacts that have been done, even if it was 40 years ago Marg. BTW, the Cuban people cannot do much, their weapons were confiscated when Castro was still saying socialism was good and the people shouldn't have weapons.... Cubans cannot own a gun, or rifle...and nowhere can you buy them.

With regards to Cuba,

I think maybe we can all agree that the sanctions aren't working, Casto is still in power, and the Cuban people are no better off. So while it will probably not happen, another option is to lift the sanctions, and allow the people to prosper enough, so they'll have time to think about their situation and what they can do about it.

Castro's health is fading, and he will not be around forever. Now is the time to build a relationship, to spread some goodwill and gain some influence. By being inside the country, you could do so much more good. The US is quite adept in spreading it's ideals and eventually, there will be change. Until then, just make friends so that if they do have a problem, they will come and ask your advice first, instead of Russia's.

Muaddib

I am not oppressed. I am free.

But I believe you may be oppressed.

OK, if you would like to invite people to post evidence of oppression in the US on this thread in order that the world may see that freedom and democracy takes a lot of work and acts of dissidence against tyrannical oppressors (such as the Bush gang), then I think that could be a valid use of space.

What is sold to Iraqis as "freedom" in the forthcoming election really ought to have an effective role model in the homeland of its invader, to be sure.

Oppression includes removal of the ability to protest, and capturing as much as possible of dissidence in some all-encompassing definition of criminality such as "potential terrorist". All predicated on victimization and lies.