Can other Middle Eastern Countries be as free, democratic and prosperous as Israel?

So, I'm reading this today:

“http://www.nationalreview.com/article/357011/israeli-spring-victor-davis-hanson”

It is ironic that in-fighting in many Middle Eastern countries are turning them into economic, social and political basket cases, causing Israel to outlive and out prosper many regimes that used to try to murder them and steal their land. And that is actually aggravating.

There is no reason the Middle East should be this messed up. You have industrious people that form good families with strong bonds. This makes for what some economists think is the single most important factor for wealth creation: good human capital. Many are oil rich with great water paths for the transportation of goods (no, the place is not all desert). Personally, I would love to visit the region, often credited as being the cradle of civilization. But in the current environment, I'd actually be afraid to visit there due to all the violence. My tourist dollars will go to Toronto or Florida. I have to think that is angering somebody.

I'm advised by this site that many, maybe most, want to keep the current Syrian regime. Why would anyone want a dictator in charge? I'm also told that most Iranians are very fond of their current regime too. But I can't help think they'd all be better off, wealthier, living longer, more prosperous lives if they adopted true, free, Constitutional orders. I'd think the inhabitants have to be very angry with the current state of affairs.

As the USA prepares to engage in a stupid war with Syria, what would y'all thank would be better ideas for a prosperous Middle East? Feel free to pick a particular country there and link to any articles about the likely goals of given factions and how it would improve things.

 

Israel, the killer, is going to teach other middle east countries Democracy?!

JOKE! :d

 

To continue to refer to Israel as free and democratic when it has been holding over 2 million Palestineans on the West Bank as effective prisoners and non-citizens for 45 years is a bit of a joke. I know what the OP was saying and there is some truth to it, but since the Israeli model only succeeds at the expense and suffering of the Palestineans (and a lot of U.S. money and arms), it's not going to be a model for other nearby Arab nations.

 

From my link: "Israel could be forgiven for having a siege mentality — given that at any moment, old frontline enemies Syria and Egypt might spill their violence over common borders." Sounds about right. People born on land they developed have been repeatedly attacked by numerous neighbors bent upon the destruction of the nation they built and earned.

Do you deny Israel is doing pretty well, compared to other nations that are bigger and have more national resources, without being under siege? Why aren't they doing better? Rather than attack Israel, I am interested in your ideas for developing prosperity.

 

The Middle East is largely controlled by greedy, educated barbarians ruling over ignorant masses. Until that changes, chances of democracy are slim to none.

 

Tell us this, somebody? If the ME wasn`t rich in oil, what impact would it have on the world, other than the fact that so many weirdos can be squeezed into a small place?

 

Yeah, I dont know about all that....

With all of Israels neighbors suddenly having violent revolutions..... It kinda makes you wonder...

 

As I wrote, tourism was supposedly pretty huge. Great water ways for travel, good human capital. I have to think they have the potential for greatness, but we're not seeing it yet. Supposedly, they have fallen behind the rest of the developing world. Singapore is running circles around them (and a lot of other people.) I'm interested in any links you might have regarding the ultimate goals of any of their major factions and how it will improve their nations.

 

Well, I think a reduction in revolutions might help.

 

That's kind of Krauthammer's take. No good sides, just least bad sides. Get stability and then work from there.

I wonder if Israel is less a basket case because, being surrounded by enemies forces them to unite, hence no revolutions, less in-fighting?

 

I wonder if israel is behind all the revolutions, and behind chemical weapon attacks in an attempt to draw America into their conflicts.

 

The very first thing Israel could do is actually integrate Palestineans into their economy better, instead of making significant economic activity all but impossible. Israel's economic success is due to very high education levels, a fairly strong work ethic and a very varied geography in a very small area. Just how is this easily transferable to the Arab situation?

If you want to talk solely about what economic lessons Arabs can learn from Israel, the answer would have to be theoretical only since the Israelis are a stench in the nostrils of the Arab world. Mussolini made the trains run on time, but I wouldn't look to fascist Italy to see how to make my national train system run better.

 

Iran EXECUTES people for being homosexuals,and adultery.

Care to join the 21st century....

 

All has already been tried.

The Israelis WELCOMED indigenous arabs into Israel, to work and live. And then, the indigenous arabs (aka:"palesitnians") started leaving BOMBS in discos, pizza parlors, and familiy beaches, sometimes HIDDEN INSIDE OF TOYS.

No one can co-exist with the SAVAGE PALESTINIANS. Ask Jordan..they tried, also.

The palesitnians cannot take care of themselves economically, or any other way, and only know VIOLENCE as the means to their ends.

 

If Israel are so prosperous, why are they sponging off welfare?

 

Israel is a very poor democracy.

 

This from my topic link: "The old nexus of radical Islamic terror of the last three decades is unraveling. With a wink and a nod, Arab dictatorships routinely subsidized Islamic terrorists to divert popular anger away from their own failures to the West or Israel. In the deal, terrorists got money and sanctuary. The Arab Street blamed others for their own government-inflicted miseries. And thieving authoritarians posed as Islam’s popular champions.

But now, terrorists have turned on their dictator sponsors. And even the most ardent Middle East conspiracy theorists are having troubling blaming the United States and Israel."

It'd be too dangerous for Israel to do things like this. Can you imagine if they were caught, and were subsidizing Al Queda (Which President Obama is now accused of doing).

I heard something that made me laugh. It pointed out: there's nothing wrong with trains running on time in and of itself. You do seem to imply that the Mid East citizens could use some sort of chaperone? They don't have decent leadership available to them? If they did, would they choose it?

 

Well, When I think of it, Israel is the only country who makes sense.

Syria has been winning, they dont want American involvement. Using chemical weapons when youre winning makes no sense. It will only bring outside interference, aka America.

Russia doesnt want America smoking their allies, it would endanger Russian national security, and theyd lose a seaport in the med.

Iran doesnt want America toppling their number 1 ally.

America doesnt want to intervene, we've been at war for over 10 years already.

The only country who would use chemical weapons is a country who wants American involvement.

So you tell me, who wants American help in the middle east?

Who is the only country who would benefit from the use of chemical weapons in syria?

I can think of only one. Israel

 

The Middle East generally, can`t progress while they`re imbedded in the dark ages, and they can`t extract themselves from their dark age lifestyle, while under Islam.

 

Wasn't Saddam winning and had no need to gas Kurds?

And the terrorists themselves: if they can put blame on the Syrian Government, which they have (they haven't blamed Israel. They blamed the Government) they might get an invasion they would want.

 

My point was that if you despise the country held up as an example to follow, you are not going to follow that example. Israel can't be a model because of all the emotional and historical baggage that comes with it in the Arab world.

 

I could have sworn the Oslo Accords were sabotaged mainly by the Israelis, and the economic provisions were sabotaged quite early after Rabin was put out of his misery by an Israeli extremist and Netanyahu took over. As for the security situation, now you get Hezbollah firing quite decent rockets at Israel from time to time and Gaza firing crappy rockets at Israel every other day, so the emphasis on separation for security doesn't seem to be working out too well.

If you want to see the ugly side of the Israeli policy, go to Bethlehem on vacation. The town is basically surrounded and overshadowed by the Security Wall, by military and police checkpoints and by a general cloud of gloom and doom. The mainly Christian population has a bare fraction of the economy it used to have and nobody has a good word for the Israelis. This in spite of the fact that Bethlehem has/had a very low rate of terrorist activity.

 

you compare a few hemosexuals with all who Zionists kill everyday?! heh...

and being a Hemosexual is Called Haraam in Islam. we're muslims, and our country is Islamic republic.
and I don't think Iranians even like them. from Old Persian ages being a hemosexual was a bad name.

 

killing people for being homosexual, is murder.

murder that should be punished.

 

You're thinking of every single Muslim majority country on the planet, not Israel which has full and equal rights for all of its citizens regardless of race, creed, or gender which are unparalleled anywhere in the Muslim world, the answer to the OP is a resounding no so long as Islam is the predominant religion, Islam and liberty are mutually exclusive concepts.