Democracy by Imposition

Re “Exporting the Ukraine Miracle,” Commentary, Dec. 30: Max Boot gushes about the ability of outsiders to impose democracy on other countries. It seems that Boot is overstating the case in Afghanistan, where much of the country remains in the hands of warlords, and completely ignoring that wonderful petri dish of imported democracy known as Iraq.

It’s understandable, though. Boot and his exuberant neocon artistes have to thrust Iraq aside so that we can be lulled into another false sense of confidence that our national security depends on military intervention in Iran. You first, Max.

Blaise Jackson

Escondido

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Could we learn a thing or two from Ukraine’s presidential election? Let’s compare this election with the 2000 U.S. presidential election, when the U.S. Supreme Court in effect handed George W. Bush the presidency.

By contrast, Ukraine’s Supreme Court annulled the results of the disputed presidential election and ordered a fresh runoff, in three weeks, and as a result Viktor Yuschenko was victorious.

But the real heroes were not only Ukraine’s judges but also the Ukrainians and their “Orange Revolution.” Day after day, thousands of Ukrainians demonstrated peacefully in bitter cold and refused to accept a fraudulent election.

In contrast, we never saw such a genuine and passionate outpour of dissatisfaction here at home. What we needed in the 2000 election was an awakening revolution in which the people demanded a new vote that was fair and free, and an outcome that reflected the will of Americans.

We should have asked ourselves which were more important: certain deadlines and laws, or doing whatever it took peacefully to achieve a true democracy?

Where was the passion for true democracy?

Ali Shahmiri

San Diego