It is IMPOSSIBLE to force an Arab or a Muslim to fully accept American social values, laws and "American Democracy" as the only meaningful and truthful form of democracy. This will never happen! "KAMA TA KOUNOUN, YOUWALLAH ALEYKOUM"; this is a very famous phrase (wisdom) attributed to Al Imam Ali. It means  verbatim:  "The way you are, you will shall be governed." In other words, as we say in the West, "Like Father, Like Son". The Imam Ali' phrase becomes: "Like A Nation, Like A Ruler, Or Like A President". Also it means, those who govern us are those we have elected and or chosen, and as such, they represent and depict who we are and what we deserve." On the surface, the Arabic wisdom seems to appear democratic, but in fact, it is the beginning of exactly the opposite of an American democracy. In the United States, the president of the country is elected by the American people for a four year term. Of course, the American president can seek another term. Eight years is the maximum consecutive presidential "tenure", he or she can maintain.  In many parts of the world and particularly in the Islamic and Arab worlds, free elections are not a sign, an indication or a symbol of democracy nor deemed necessary at all. Justice and freedom in America require free elections. Justice and freedom in Islamic countries require absolute conformity with the “word”, instructions, dialogues and “speech” of one man; the prophet, not  free elections or the voice of a nation. In the Arab world, although elections or some forms of elections take place from time to time,   they remain a pure proforma; a display rather than a norm. The Arabs and the Muslisms think differently from the Europeans and the Americans. The Arab Muslims honestly believe that new –free and open-  elections to elect a new ruler or a leader are not always the best formula or system for governing a nation, a region or a tribe. And this belief is evidenced in the tribal history of the Arab nations, the Holy Books and even the Old Testament. For centuries, Arabs, Muslims and Jews alike shared the same electoral systems and observed similar socio-political leadership traditions.  Although, from time to time, elections take place in many Arab countries, almost 99% of the elected or re-elected presidents remain the same, and or shall remain in power for the rest of their lives. We have an abundance of facts and examples.

ARAB/MUSLIM PRESIDENTS AND LEADERS RULE AND GOVERN THEIR COUNTRIES AND PEOPLE FOR EVER!

Ruthless and manipulative Arab presidents  like Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser and Housni Moubarak, Libya’s strongman Moa’amar Al Khadafi (Khazafi), Saudi Arabia's House of Saoud, Syria's Al Asaad’s dynasty (from father to son), the United Arab Emirates' Al Maktoum family ( Which maintained the power in the UAE since its creation and will continue to do so till  the end of time: Rashed Al Maktoum, the patriarch of the Al Maktoum family was the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE,  and ruler of Dubai. His son Mohammad Al Maktoum became secretary of defense at age of 25. His brother Maktoum Al Maktoum became ruler and prime minister after the death of his father. And nobody in the Gulf seems to complain about it.) The same succession and transfer of power system is accepted as an "anticipated political normality" and an Islamic legitimate system of governing a Muslim country. It is a common practice in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, etc... Those Arab rulers and presidents were not elected or appointed the American way. They did not come to power via democratic means. Yet, they are considered in their countries as legitimate, bona fide and democratic heads  of state. Americans see it differently. President Bush will never succeed in changing the electoral system in Iraq or in any Muslim Arab country.

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND AMERICAN LAWS CONFUSE THE ARAB AND THE MUSLIMS AROUND THE GLOBE! AS WELL AS MANY FOREIGN CHRISTIAN COUNTRIES.

Centuries ago, Blaise Pascal wrote: "Verite en deca des Pyrenees erreur au dela", meaning: “There are truths on this side of the Pyrenees which are falsehoods on the other.” Thus, American democratic laws are not meant to be understood,  implemented and obeyed in the Arab and Islamic worlds. Besides, Muslims and Arabs are confused by the various, divergent, convergent and contradictory laws in the United States. An Iraqi jurist once told me:  “I wonder how come, a law is THE law in this or that state in America and is not THE same law in other states in America. If both states are American states under one American law, one American flag, one American constitution, and one American government, all the laws in all the American states should be the same." Unfortunately it is true. For instance, it is illegal to carry or own a gun in the District of Columbia. If the police catches you carrying a revolver, you will be arrested on the spot, handcuffed and thrown in jail. Yet, walk only 100 feet from the end of M street in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to the bridge separating the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia, just very few feet outside Washington, D.C. city limits  and all of a sudden, you have all the rights to buy and own a gun. Very strange indeed! Foreigners from around the globe and particularly from the Middle and the Near East don't have a lot of respect for the "rationale" behind the American democratic laws and American lawmakers. An Egyptian chief judge, educated in England, once told me: "If a law (Same law) is constitutional in one state in America, and in the same time is unconstitutional in other states, then there is no consistency, truthfulness and a guarantee to protect the same human and civil rights of the American people if they move from one state to another. If the Americans in their own country,  do not agree on one single law applicable to all Americans and to all the American states, and if each American state has the power to separately and independently create its own laws, this should tell you that the American legal system, juridical system and American  Democracy in America do not work. Frankly, we do not need this kind of democracy and legal system in our countries."

MORE NEXT