Inevitability

While Arab Spring's disappointing demarche continues to trudge along in an uncool way, cats are finding it easy to diss the idea of democrazy's universal appeal.

For now. 

People do want to live in freedom and dignity. They want to form associations of their choosing, and if permitted to do so, they quickly form the organizations that become the sinews of a free society and that impart the habits of a society that cannot be cowed. These groups around the world deserve more help than we are giving them. No single triumph is inevitable or should be taken for granted. But in the long run, with or without outside help, they will prevail.

As predicted way back - "It is a generational commitment. Not a generational commitment in military terms; it is a commitment of our support to them, our political support and an understanding that democracy takes time."

See, 

 Eventually, democracy must prevail over a nation’s failures. But democracy can only work if it is accompanied by a constitution with a Bill of Rights guaranteeing minority civil liberties. Democracy alone, without rights enshrined in a constitution, can be a dangerous tool in the hands of fanatics who would use populism to dismantle individual freedoms.

Constitutional democracy is the only real hope for the earth’s inhabitants and that, difficult as it is to see, all humanity, deep in their hearts (and hopefully not too deep), yearn to be free.

Pic - "And anywhere, any time ordinary people are given the chance to choose, the choice is the same: freedom, not tyranny; democracy, not dictatorship; the rule of law, not the rule of the secret police."