From: hdeshma@eos.ncsu.edu (HARSHAVARDHAN  DESHMANE)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan,soc.culture.arabic,soc.culture.african,soc.culture.african-american,soc.culture.afghanistan,soc.culture.turkish,soc.culture.lebanon,soc.culture.asean,talk.politics.mideast
Subject: Re: Algeria Vs. the US hypocrisy -From NYT-
Date: 12 Sep 92 22:28:35 GMT
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos

In article <BuG7tD.Io9@ucunix.san.uc.edu> minhaszt@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Zafar T Minhas) writes:
>
>i found this in soc.religion.islam
>
>In article <716188865@flounder.cs.duke.edu> jisrawi@physics.rutgers.edu writes:
>>
>>
>>                     *********************************
>>                     *                               * 
>>                     * New York Times editorial page *
>>                     *         7/24/92               *
>>                     *                               *
>>                     *********************************
>>
>>When Algeria's army staged a coup in January, heading off an anticipated 
>>Islamic electoral triumph, Washington, like other Western governments, winked.
>> 
>>Apologists for the coup warned of frightening consequences if Algeria's 
>>Islamic Salvation Front had been allowed to compete. Though the Front's 
>>official leadership had promised conciliation and economic reform, apologists 
>>argued that radicals would soon have swept aside these moderates. Further 
>>elections would have been banned, foreign policy radicalized, market reforms 
>>diluted, human rights of non-believers abused.
>> 
>>It is of course impossible to know what would have happened had democracy been
>>permitted to run its course. Given the record of Islamic rule in Iran and the 
>>Sudan, such fears can scarcely be dismissed.
>> 
>>But there is no need to speculate about what's happened since Algeria's coup.
>>Elections remain suspended; elected local councils have been disbanded. Human 
>>rights have been trampled; thousands of Islamic militants spent weeks in 
>>desert prison camps (does this mean it is no more the case?). 
>>The army's strong-arm tactics have embarrassed, even discredited Islamic
>>moderates. And the Salvation Front has been radicalized. Last month's
>>Algeria's provisional president was assassinated, perheaps by Islamis militants
>>perhaps by army dissidents. His successor has just appointed a Socialist
>>planner to run the government.
>>The new prime Minister is known for his vocal criticism of free-market 
>>economics and of the International Monetary Fund.
>> 
>>In sum, the coup has accomplished almost everything the West did not want to 
>>see happen. Yet Western democracies remain silent. The new Algerian regime 
>>still welcomes foreign investment. The Islamic militants it persecutes are 
>>unlikely to seek refuge in Europe, as the Westernized elements might have 
>>under Islamic rule.
>> 
>>The West's attitude is remarkably shortsighted. Algeria's Islamic majority 
>>won't go away, nor will it become more democracy-minded when its electoral 
>>majorities are treated with contempt. Meanwhile, political instability is 
>>increasing.
>> 
>>The surest way out is an early return to the ballot box, with all parties free
>>to compete. America's Algeria policy needs to be revisited.
>> 


just for my knowledge, does Islam allow democracy..?
I mean, if an Islamic party wins a election, will subsequent elections be
held?

-harsh deshmane
-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
Harshavardhan Deshmane                                 I had a signature
ECE Dept.,                                             it became an address:(
North Carolina State University.                       had@csl36h.csl.ncsu.edu
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