The Spread of American Democracy

Key Things to Remember

• Democracy is Hard Work!o We still struggle with making democracy work!

• Just because something works in one place, it doesn’t mean that it will work elsewhereo You need to understand history and conditions in

other placeso People don’t decide to do random and “crazy”

things for no reason

Background

• US first country founded as democracy since Athens

• US borrowed ideas from others:o Athenso Romanso Britisho Judeo-Christian Traditiono Enlightenment

Early Problems

• Strength of a Federal Governmento State Rights vs. Federal Rights

• Inconsistency in trade, currency• US was flat broke

Resolution

• 1787 - Articles of Confederation replaced by Constitutiono Clear limits on power of Federal

Governmento States given specific rightso National currency and defense

Exporting American Democracy - Middle East

Understand the Following:• Social: Patriarchal Society

o Many ethnic groups!• Political: Many empires over time

o Nationalism!• Religion: Mostly Islam, but also Jews

and Christianso Sects: Sunni and Shia

Exporting American Democracy - Middle East

• Intellectual: Islam has VERY strong sense of Justice, rule of law

• Technological: We most associate oil with the region, but SUPER-IMPORTANT location on trade routes

• Economic: Oil has brought great wealth to some nations, but others extremely poor

Problems in Middle East are several centuries in the making = no quick fix!!!

Exporting American Democracy - Iraq

Iraq:• Until 1918: In Province of

Mesopotamia, Ottoman Empire• 1918: WWI ends

o British promised independence after waro British and France betray region, make

them mandates (fancy word for colony)

Iraq, Cont’d

• Oil!• WWII: Germans promise independence

if Middle East countries help them - Germany loses war

• 1960s: “Democratic” Baath Partyo Secular Gov’to Relatively stable

Iraq, Cont’d

• Saddam, 1970so War with Iran, 1980so Kurdish Rebellion, early 1980s

Use of poison gas in mass slaughter of Kurdso In huge debt, invaded Kuwait 1991

Operation Desert Storm puts Iraq back in placeo 9/11: US take proactive approach in ME

Sees Saddam as a threat 2003, Invades and “liberates” Iraq from Saddam Goal to build democracy in Iraq

Democracy-Building in Iraq

Potentials:• Oil = $ to rebuild• People want peace

and stability• Most hated Saddam• US has made

commitment to Iraq

Challenges:• Sectarian violence

(Sunni and Shia)• Kurds want own state,

or better representation• Country is broke• No infrastructure• Some neighbors not

keen on US-style democracy (and culture)

• Terrorists are NOW a problem here

Democracy-Building in Afghanistan

• Afghanistan:o Used to be on Silk Roado Little- to no natural resourceso Strategic location in Central/Southern Asia

Afghanistan - Recent History

WAR!• 1800s: British Meddling in region• 1970s: Soviet Invasion

o Cold War: US training and arming of Mujahideen (Islamic “freedom fighters”) Osama bin Laden

• Late 1980s: Soviets withdrawo No effective governmento Mujahideen turn on each other (and US)

Afghanistan

• 1990s: Rise of Talibano Taliban are extreme fundamentalistso Extremely strict control on societyo Provide haven to Islamic terrorist orgs.o Economy financed by production of opium (use to

make heroin, etc.) Is a narcostate

• 9/11: US invades, overthrows Taliban

Democracy-Building in Afghanistan

Potentials:• People want peace

Challenges:• Beyond broke• No oil• Middle of nowhere• Taliban making

comeback• No infrastructure at all• Geography is rugged• Very delicate balance

between tradition and progress