« Why Be Trusting? Part 2 | Main | Star Wars Picture of the Day »
May 18, 2005
Possible Good News
Bush's democratization of the Middle East may be working in Syria. It is too early to tell for sure if these reforms will happen, but it looks like Assad does not want to end up like Saddam. Here is the Washington Post on the story:
Beset by U.S. attempts to isolate his country and facing popular expectations of change, Syrian President Bashar Assad will move to begin legalizing political parties, purge the ruling Baath Party, sponsor free municipal elections in 2007 and formally endorse a market economy, according to officials, diplomats and analysts.Assad's five-year-old government is heralding the reforms as a turning point in a long-promised campaign of liberalizing a state that, while far less dictatorial than Iraq under Saddam Hussein, remains one of the region's most repressive. His officials see the moves, however tentative and drawn out, as the start of a transitional period that will lead to a more liberal, democratic Syria.
Posted by Pete at May 18, 2005 10:37 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.petetheelder.com/mt-tb.cgi/538