By Fareed Zakaria, CNN
As Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya transition from dictatorship to democracy, you'd think they'd look to America as a model for their new governments. But they don't. America is still too controversial in the Arab world.
Instead, many of the countries transformed by the Arab Spring are looking in a surprising place for inspiration.
Where is this new city on a hill?
Take a look at the man landing at the airport in Tunis, Tunisia: It's Lech Walesa. He's the man whose actions 30 years ago in the Gdansk shipyard in Poland helped cause Communism to crumble across Eastern Europe. Walesa was in Tunisia to pass on the lessons he had learned.
In fact, Poland is a good model for these countries. It's a country that started out with many problems - political and economic - but gradually overcame them. Today's Arab revolutionaries want to see how they did it. They are studying the Eastern European experience, and particularly the Polish path.
Poland is cooperating in various ways. It has started hosting conferences to share its knowledge. In fact, it uses a U.S.-made computer game to train Arab and East European civil servants. It's called "SENSE", or the Strategic Economic Needs and Security Exercise. SENSE simulates a virtual country emerging from authoritarian rule. It trains participants to make democratic decisions and allocate resources. Years after training on it, Warsaw is now passing on its own experience to the Arab world.
Poland's political and economic success have given it a sense of confidence and a new profile on the international stage. It's a member of NATO. In fact, it now holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. Beyond Europe, Poland has also been one of Washington's most loyal allies: Poland was among the largest contributors of troops to the War in Iraq, and it still has troops in Afghanistan.
But perhaps the biggest reason for poverty-stricken nations like Egypt to pay close attention to Poland is that it is a very rare breed in today's world, especially in Europe. Poland has a strong economy - the sixth biggest in the European Union now and the only European Union country to avoid a recession altogether. None of its banks needed to be rescued.
Its economy grew 4% last year, and is on track to grow 3% in 2012. Why, you'll ask. How did it survive the turmoil in the Euro Zone? One answer is that it has strong domestic demand and has been pouring money into infrastructure projects.
But the real - and fortuitous - reason is that Poland has yet to be allowed in to the Euro Zone - it continues to use zlotys instead of the euro. So unlike Greece or Italy, it was able to devalue its currency to stay competitive.
The irony is Warsaw continues to see its destiny as being tied to the common currency. More than half its exports go to the EU - a majority of it to Germany, its main trading partner. Poles reason that being part of the same currency would encourage foreign direct investment in Poland. And it's not just about economics. After yearning for decades to be part of Europe, its leaders now feel a resurgent Poland could be a full-fledged member of the European community.
But perhaps Poland should look at England, Sweden, and Switzerland - all European countries, all with strong economies - but with their own currencies. That might be the model to emulate. In any event, no Arab country is likely to give up its currency anytime soon - no matter what Poland will do.
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1. Polish transformation was not aided by computer games of any sort. No-one in Poland has heard of "SENSE" in 1989. We went into the transformation without any detailed plan or prior training. It was a very much fly-by-the-seat-of-pants exercise.
2. Poland did not devalue its currency on purpose during the recent crisis. In fact, Polish central bank defended the Polish zloty several times in 2011
3. Poland wants to join the Euro in the future to eliminate foreign exchange risk for its importers and exporters.
Roman you are completly right and Mr F Zakaria is wrong again: "In fact, it now holds the rotating presidency of the European Union" that was last January for 6 months it is now Danemark...Mr Zakaria you are not checking your news very well , no wonder why you work for TimeWarner , all you do is infotainement !
I'm afraid you haven't got it right neither. Poland held the E.U. presidency between 1 July 2011 – 31 December 2011. Denmark is succeeding Poland.
MeaCulpa : Poland ended their presidency od the EU on Dec 31th 2011...Mr Zakaria should also appologise
Roman, you're right, and it's good to take an airbag like Fareed to task – the causes of Poland's prosperity are multiple, and they cannot be attributed to the wishful thinking, left or right, of those who want to inflict their agenda -
Poland is not doing anything special to grow their economy.
You didn't explain what Poland is exporting to the EU partners such as Germany. Do they have their own renowned product brands and service companies? Not that we know of. Poland is considered and often is used as a low-cost manufacturing center for European companies. That has fueled the Polish economy during the recent global recession. Outsourcing in the western industrial world sparked the global recession. So naturally, countries that benefited from outsourcing such as China, India, Poland, etc. actually saw growth in their economy.
True, Poland's strength is its huge farming sector – agriculture accounts for about 60 per cent of the country's total land area – which is still unwieldy and inefficient. Poverty is widespread in rural areas. There was an exodus of workers to western Europe in the years after Poland joined the EU, but it slowed down after the global economic crisis took hold. In fact many have returned. The country's economy has had some success in creating a market economy and attracting foreign investment from some E.U. countries that benefit from lower labour costs in Poland.
Well, the farming sector may account for 60% of land area, but it only accounts for 10% of the economy. The main reasons the Polish economy has done so well throughout the crisis is a.) having its own currency and thus remaining buffered from a good deal of the Eurozone's pitiful incompetence, and b.) a strong domestic market. I'm not sure about Zakaria's other claims, which are contested, but I wouldn't be surprised about their erroneousness. CNN isn't exactly a high calibre news network. It's sensationalism, a source for entertainment more than a serious media outlet. They hire actors not journalists.
You are correct, Polish goods sell well in Germany partly beacuse they are cheaper yet good quality, keep in mind: Exporting is business and the business is good.
you say:
***Not that we know of. Poland is considered and often is used as a low-cost manufacturing center for European companies. That has fueled the Polish economy during the recent global recession. Outsourcing in the western industrial world sparked the global recession. So naturally, countries that benefited from outsourcing such as China, India, Poland, etc. actually saw growth in their economy.***
I say:
Don t they have some famous video game company there. CD Projekt
You know little known game like WITCHER 2, EUROPA UNIVERSALIS, etc...
My god, you really show your lack of knowledge
Go to any western university, and they ll tell you polish are a crafty lot in engeeneering and mathematics.
now, for the rest, from wikipedia
*The Economy of Poland is a high income economy[9] and is the sixth largest in the EU and one of the fastest growing economies in Europe*
*Before World War II, Poland's industrial base was concentrated in the coal, textile, chemical, machinery, iron, and steel sectors. Today it extends to fertilizers, petrochemicals, machine tools, electrical machinery, electronics, car manufacture and shipbuilding.*
oh yes, you said mainly agriculture
*Agriculture employs 14.8% of the work force but contributes 3.8% to the gross domestic product (GDP*
how wrong you were
*The total value of the Polish pharmacy market in 2008 was PLN 24.1bn, 11.5% more than in 2007.*
*The Polish banking sector, the largest in central and eastern Europe *
yes, it heavily depend on outsourcing ... muhahaha... I wonder if you are posting from china, inside a government office
I don't think that the article contradicts you, but looks at it from a different perspective.
1: I doubt the average person used SENSE but maybe it may have been used by some of the new government bureaucrats as part of that seat-of-the-pants governing. Learn from SENSE and apply the new knowledge on-the-fly, build new ideas on top of it and now share the new knowledge for the next generation.
2: Whether the devaluations were intentional or not, they occurred and it was beneficial for exports and thus your economy. Greece cannot devalue so it has to improve productivity to compete. In Canada, our currency rose because it is tied to energy (we have a lot of oil) and it hurt our traditional manufacturing industries a lot.
3: So far, foreign exchange risk has been good for you and bad for your partners. Of course it can go the other way as well...
Fareed, indeed Lech Walesa made history in Poland by leading an independent mass political movement in 1980, with strikes at the Gdansk shipyard that led to the establishment of the Solidarity trade union. You forgot to mention another famous contemporary of Walesa: the late Pope John-Paul II was an important influence on the Solidarity movement throughout the 1980s.
please read: another famous POLISH-BORN contemporary of Walesa: the late Pope John-Paul II......
Actually, it was the much villified Polish General Wojcek Jaruselski who brought democracy to Poland and not Lech Walesa nor Pope JohnPaul II. Today, almost no one in the West wants to acknowledge this simple fact but then again, one cannot argue with history.
Wojciech Jaruzelski's authoritarian imposed martial law between December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983. Nevertheless the movement for change was irreversible, Elections in summer 1989 ushered in the first post-communist government in Eastern Europe.
Jaruzelski???? You are OUT of your mind!!!!!!!!!!!!
History is different from what you know. Jaruzelski was a Soviet general and did what he was told . I used to think that he was a hero, unfortunately, he was not -he wanted to maintain Communist rule till the last minute.
i'm so sorry but you are not so smart if you think than Jaruzelski was the one who brought democracy to Poland
I'M Polish and know my history very well unlike You
Jaruzelski is the biggest Communist in whole Poland ,he is still accused of shooting to people when they where fighting in Stocznia Gdansk with Walensa against martial law with Communists under leadership of Jaruzelski
so please do the reading before writhing something like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I agree, Jaruzeslki was in charge and tried to figure out what to do. The events overwhelmed him, and to his credit, he did not start civil war.
Clueless Marta. If it was not for Jaruzelski and his 1981 martial law, soviets would slughter most of the polish oposition leaders and there would no round table and no free elections. Period.
Clueless Marta. If it was not for Jaruzelski and his 1981 martial law, soviets would slaughter most of the polish oposition leaders and there would no round table and no free elections. Period.
Good point Marta. Rafal does not seem to know the soviets had been slaughtering the opposition regardless...
I am shocked that your guest, Steve Rattner, was so rude on today's show. It was very clear that Mr. Rattner has issues listening to someone else's opinion and/or listening to what a female has to say. He was a bully to Anianna Huffington.
Yes, I noticed it too. Yet I don't know how the two – Ariana Huffington and Steve Rattner – get on professionally. To be honest I'm not a fan of Ariana Huffington.
Indeed, Poland is an interesting example and can bring a valuable economic and political model for countries transformed by Arab Spring. As the only EU country not to suffer a financial crisis, having own independent currency – Polish Zloty (PLN), it is boasting a stable financial system, one of the strongest stock exchanges, and the largest sources of shale gas in Europe.
Given these relative advantages, and particularly the Polish path after the Communism and over 20 years of transformation experience, Poland might be at a historical crossroad, in effect, becoming one of the leading European countries in supporting and inspiring new Arab economies.
If the Polish were wise enough, they'd steer clear of the Eurozone and not take orders from Washington D.C. as is the case of France and Germany. This way, they could in fact become a leading European country.
Difficult to say. The benefits of joining Euro for Poles are obvious, they have strong manufacturing base, in contrast to Greece and Portugal, and thus common currency would help a lot to help the trade. Small businesses are very volnerable to exchange rates, it would be a boom for them too. In general, I think this Euro crisis, caused mostly by corruption in Greece and Italy, and private debt in Spain and Ireland, though very deep, is misunderstood on the other side of the pond. I am pretty sure they'll learn.
Must agree with George Patton. The EU will fall apart -it is only a matter of time. The Union of Socialist Republics of Europe is about broke. The indebted nations ( check the Polish national debt ) were kept on a globalist agenda and they will rebel. Poland is better off without euro currency .
One think that amazes me . When Poland was ruled from the East it did not participate in any wars like Afganistan. When it is ruled from the West ( no doubt in my mind ) it gets its soldiers killed. Many people in Poland feel that most of the Poles were sold out to Western interests-its industries sold for pennies on the dollar to Western companies.
With regard to your earlier guest discussing overhauling the entire tax code . The current system is a disaster, and it seems we need some better replacement
The problem may be that an income based system is obsolete. Pencil and paper are so 20th century. Should not taxation be as invisible as bank, and brokerage charges?
A better solution is a painless small fee on all monetary transactions processed and collected automatically. SMALL fee on ALL transactions is the key.
The Swedish experience with an FTT/Tobin tax on stock transactions shows activity changes are directly proportional to the relationship to the tax it replaces. Thus even a small FTT can help end the wild swings in the computer driven marketplace.
No form, no filing, no pain. Just a tiny percent of every transaction picked off and processed by the same groups that automatically take their cut today. Brokers, Banks, credit and debit cards, and check cashers all take a piece of most transactions. The limit may be set at 1 percent of all transactions, with some exceptions (ie 0.1% for home purchases, and 0.2% for index arbitrage and stock sales). Maybe 1% on all international transfers out of the country and 0% for those coming in. As long as this tax is never is raised over 1% it remains basically painless
And it is not regressive. The poor only move their money once while businesses turn their dollars many times over the years. Savers don’t get penalized and lobbyists can still get congress to offer more pro-active (non-tax) plums for their masters.
SMALL & ALL FTT eliminates all the need for tax planning and the grey area of defining what is really a business expense.
And it can be started at the lowest levels immediately While generating funds in the background it allows for a more orderly shut down of the current tax code .
Please look into this option for what would be the most painless way to reform and replace the current tax code system with an Invisible Tax. An Untried FTT or the Expanded Tobin, or simply SMALL & ALL.
Mark Brodsky.
what you propose, transaction taxes, would favor the rich. they are the ones who can afford to save money, buy wholesale, never pay a rent, and so on.
It would penalize ordinary peoples and small companies. your system get us back to the medieval era, with evil guards taking whatever you got each time you enter or leave a city, or even if you so much as sneeze....
I'm a 14 years old .. And i haven't done anything with my life! Nothing that i could remember forever or something stupid .. I have no friends.. Never had a bf ..I hate my body, i have talents that has no use for me in this world, i'm in love with a guy that i'm pretty sure doesn't even love/like or even look at me,I'm not good at taking school tests.. I just don't get it .. I'm 57 kg and 1.54 cm tall .. I have breasts,you can little see small waist ,but i have no butt which looks so weird because i have huge thighs that can't fit into jeans and it look so disgusting i feel so disgusting i mean if i had something at least little thing behind i would be happy but no .. there is nothing it's all flat ! Whenever i go up in Weight the fat goes to my thighs and nowhere else .. just thighs not butt ! I know it's not the worlds first problemm but i just feel so sad because of all these things going into my life and getting oout .. I just feel so alone and so ugly ..
If this is real – you're very young, miss, and things will get better. But I'm afraid that an article on the Middle East really may not be the right forum.
Hey dear, everybody has something they'd lie to change about their bodies. Even the super models and celebrities have body issues - from no butt to flat chest to hamburger sized lips to no lips at all, bad skin ... Every body has issues. They only choose to embrace the good parts of their bodies and accentuate those. You may find yourself happier in skirts if troussers dont work for you.
And that guy who isnt seeing you should be ignored too. Your worth is not in who you re with. Some years down the line, you 'd wonder "what was so great about him anyway?" I know coz I ve been there.
Lastly, give yourself a break. Most girls dont look their best at this age. You ll grow into yur own. Fall in love with the girl inside. Have fun.
Can the Arabs follow any western example where rights are guaranteed for all rather than only for Muslim men?
... so they're training civil servants with a Civilization clone? Interesting...
zakaria, you're losing it brother...really..hang it up....championing what cannot be championed, naive to the extreme my friend...all wishful thinking from you....RATHER than calling your brothers out on exactly what they are is nothing short of appalling...
and btw, your interview with obama was a complete farce...I mean, how brown can one's tongue get?
The current mood and certainly the culture of the Arab countries revolves around the elimination of the Jew. Choosing Poland as a role model was certainly a logical decision. I'm certain that numerous lessons can be learned from the Polish citizenry how such a task can be accomplished. You're dealing with 'experience' here. Regards M.L.
You must be confusing Poland with Nazi Gernamy.
It's so nice to see a racist, uneducated Zionist troll the discussion. I encourage you to pull your head out of you rear and stop reading the racist garbage put for by Ellie Wiessel, Jan Gross, and other representatives of the Holocaust Industry. Ask yourself which country is by far best represented at Yad Vashem. If Poles were and are the dark, evil anti-Semitic nucleus of the world, then Hitler was a saint. Honestly, most people spend about as much time thinking, let alone hating Jews as they do Lesothans. Get over yourself, Mortimer. You're not a victim. There is no Jewish Question. And I would show a little consideration for Poles given their history. Where were Jews offered the greatest freedom they had every seen in Europe for most of their histories than in Poland? Read up a little instead of parroting your offensive ADL garbage.
Mortimer, one would think you would be too busy swaggering down the West Bank beating up Palestinian school girls to have any time offering your lies here.
Mortimer is full of hate and likes to play a victim because that is what they teach children in synagogues-I had a first hand experience. Children I know talked about how no country wanted Jews during the Great Depression, how only Jews died in concentration camps. They are not being thought that Jews in Poland had their own Congress and were selfgoverning for 600 years, that Poland took in 500,000 Jews from the Soviet Union (where the Jews lead the Communist Movement ). Prior to WW II in Warsaw ,Poland most young Jews were emigrating to Moscow to support the Communist Movement or to Palestine-courtesy of Isaac Basevis Singer , if Mortimer bothered to read Jewish literature.
This is coming from the Pakistani Ethnic who Lives in America Telling The Middle East how to Follow Europe Post Commy Lessons,, Awsome!,, how are your book sales doin?
Jaruzelski = war criminal, who was spared jail god knows why.
Walesa = national hero
Poland where I am from has come from ww2 attrocities, Katyn genocide among others, and communism to be the 6th strongest economy in Europe, we are proud and growing stronger each day. Please come to PL this summer, we are hosting the biggest football tourney in Europe this summer, it will be fun for all.
It's unfortunate Mr. Zakaria chose to apply a Western analysis to the Mid East. That typically short term view with its capitalist, i.e., what's good for the West, is the principal instigator of the problem. It is naive and foolish to assume that some kind of recognizable Western democracy will emerge. Actually, ALL bets are still off. Excepting oil, there is little the "Arab spring" nations can offer to the West's global economic structure. The slave labor "wages" manufacturing sector is now dominated by Asia, Will the "emerging" nations of the "Arab spring", offer even smaller wages? Yet, there is high unemployment, which impelled the "uprisings." At present, one thing is certain (Mr. Zakaria chose to ignore it), a return to the status quo, where concern for Israel's "safety" is a priority, is now on the back burner. The economy and the role of the religious organizations, are key elements as to when (?) the dust will settle; and it varies from country to country.
Turning from Poland, please note, Mr. Zakaria that England is not a sovereign state and even if Scotland should leave the United Kingdom in the next few years she will still be joined to Wales and Northern Ireland.
I think it makes sense for Middle East countries to look towards a successful, and more importantly, recent democracy for a pathway to that goal. the US formed its democracy over 200 years ago, before anyone had one (that's the real achievement, BTW!) But creating one then, and in north america, if far different than building one now, in the midst of a much "smaller" world/
How long will Mr. Zakaria be spinning the wheel on Arab democracy and continue to put a soft face on Islamic radicalism talking roots in the ME/N.Africa with the exit of more tolerant regimes?
Lech Walesa may be there in Tunis, but, the fact remains that the Tunisians are at best only be looking upto him to learn a bit on how to become rulers from the revolutionaries that they had been, just the way Mr.Walesa transformed himself from a union leader to eventually the President of Poland.
The openly ant-Semite and covertly anti-western Mr. Zakaria's only purpose of this exercises appears to be to turn the screws on Israel and lay the ground work of its eventual destruction, rob already hard hit westerners by urging the west to prop up these PURPORTED tolerant democracies, and also open the doors for greater Muslim migration into the west in the garb of building bridges between the West and the Muslim world.
What Mr. Zakaria fails to realize is that many Americans/Europeans/Indians are now are seeing through his Islamic designs.
the root of radical islamism is chines funded terrorism operation. the peoples in al quaida are not even muslim, they are heretics.
To say that Fareed is anti-semite and whatever else the hatefull Amit imagines is unfair and nonsense . Amit just wants to make a hateful anti-semitic statement (Arabs are semites ) to feel better.
Yeah Arabs, take example from Poland, You'll migrate abroad to seek normal life like your land is occupied by hostile army... Since 2006, 2 million Poles left the country, it's not a role model for nobody.
Comparing anywhere in Europe to Egypt which is made of 65% islamists is rediculous. Europe has on average 1 baby per family and Egypt over 8. 65% of Egypt spend its time in Mosques and Europeans in school and business.
Reblogged this on Talking points.
"As Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya transition from dictatorship to democracy, you'd think they'd look to America as a model for their new governments. But they don't. America is still too *controversial* in the Arab world." A Washington-Post ABC News poll conducted Jan. 12-15 put Congress’s approval rating at 13 percent, a record low for that opinion survey. A Dec. 15-18 Gallup poll put the approval rate at 11 percent, also a record low.
Wrong!
Comparing middle east with a European pre/post communist, Poland?
Stay off the sheesha Fareed! Even some of the facts are wrong, it's incomaparable.
Are you saying Poland has a fervent religious fanatic majority?
Yes – the Roman Cathlic kind, they are very serious about it
Zakaria sucks! He doesn't know what he is talking about. I am surprised that CNN has not fired him yet.
Anyone who was in Poland 20 years ago and visited again recently KNOWS that Poland is a country worthy of imitation. The Arabs have made a good choice.
Honestly, knowing Poles and Polish history it's kind a hard to not agree with Fareed Zakaria. All he is saying is a true.
I do accept his report as it is. And rejects whole the comments complaining this report as the voice of the people who want's only showing for the rest huge lack of the knowledge.
Zakaria, my o tym wiemy.
Do not compare Poland to Arab countries. Arabs are primitive and tribal. These live in the time of the camel rider Moamad and thing women are property. What a bunch of animals.
Don't think it will matter who visits Egypt or Tunisia or any of these countries. No middle east nation has ever been able to rule itself democratically. Too much division politically, tribally, religiously that goes back for too many years. These countries are in such a mess. I hope they can sort themselves out, but, I would bet against that happening anytime soon.
A great article (as ever) until the last paragraph – England does not have its own currency. The UK does. A surprising mistake from such a great journalist.
The story behind the success of Poland is not a single factor but a RIGHT POLICY MIX. That mix is due to the balance of political forces, good macroeconomic policy, human factors plus some luck. In recent years the EU support for development started to play significant role. Due to the mix Poland avoided extremes of other countries in the region like speculative growth in the Baltics or bad party system in Hungary. It is thus not very likely that Arab countries may strike such a policy mix and move forward, it will be at best a very bumpy road.
Actually our model is Turkey not Poland but I am quite used to Zakaria being completely wrong as usual. When it comes to the Middle East or Islam, many of the Wests Experts are experts at nothing but pretending to be experts but their knowledge on their professed fields is, without exaggeration, Zero.
Zakaria is just a balloon of hot air. He preaches about what other people should do and no one listen to him. When things are actually improving, he later claims it's the result of his advice.
Nice writing but even better comments. One thing I would like to add to this fine discussion is that Poland is benefiting from its well-educated society – this is why quality of products is satisfactory and Poland is first-choice for high-quality-services outsourcing.
I don't know Poland. I've never been there. But I do know some Polish people here in the US. They are very friendly and very smart. That may have something to do with the Polish success.
Reblogged this on The Political Jar and commented:
Poland becomes an inspiration for new democracies in the Middle East. Fareed Zakaria explained why in last week's GPS.
While Lech Walesa visit may be important, it does not deserve more than a small paragraph in any article dealing with the "SO-CALLED" Arab Spring which should have dealt more on the overtaking of these countries by Islamists. So, it's foolhardy to compare the people of POLAND with those of TUNISIA. As I said before, the Tunisian Islamic revolutionaries with no knowledge of governance are only looking towards Mr.Walesa on how he transformed himself from a firebrand trade union leader to the President.
Mr. Zakaria has this UNIQUE trait of making a MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLE HILL when it comes to GLORIFYING even the smallest acts of WISDOM coming from the Muslim world or Muslim communities right here in the west, and IN THE SAME BREATH, he CASTIGATES & EVEN RIDICULES the west (in sugarcoated language which many naive Americans can't see through!) when they highlight even major fractures in the Muslim world saying that we are wrong in holding the entire community responsible.
Thankfully more & more Americans, Europeans and Indians are seeing through Mr. Zakaria's Islamic agenda!
Well, US is a good example to see what path not to take. US economy is based on speculation and until today is supported by Chinese credit card. To the contrary, Poland earned its success by first, paying its debts in full, (part of the interest, not the debt was forgiven), introducing changes based on adjustments to the economic reality and being honest not speculative. By the way Poland never devalued its currency to escape the recession. Yes, zlotys made it easier but the main reason for a great polish economy during the hard times is that it could rely on its own market, (Poland is big enough to be self sustained) not on the export.
Wow, even Fareed Zakaria isn't always right.
Poland held the rotating EU presidency during the second half of 2011. From January to June 2012, it's Denmark's turn.
Well I don't know much about the situation in Tunisia, but Eygpt and Libya are certainly not transitioning to democracy as Mr. Zakaria claims. Eygpt currently is being run by the military and will probably eventually be run ty the Muslim Brotherhood. Libya is being run by a group with direct ties to Al Qaeda. Those are hardly budding democracies. Moreover, Mr Zakaria's connection of these governments to Poland is a bit of a stretch- more specious nonsense from the Council on Foriegn Relations stooge Fareed Zakaria.
من المؤكد ان السيد نوري المالكي رئيس وزراء العراق ليس من اتباع المذهب الوهابي الذي يحرم زيارة الاضرحة، فأثناء زيارته الى واشنطن قال في تصريحات صحافية انه شيعي اولا، وعراقي ثانيا، وعربي ثالثا، وعضو في حزب الدعوة رابعا، في اجابة عن سؤال حول كيفية تعريفه لنفسه.
بالامس اصدر السيد المالكي فرمانا يمنع زيارة قبر الرئيس الراحل صدام حسين وقبور ولديه عدي وقصي وحفيده مصطفى، المدفونين في مدينة تكريت مسقط رؤوسهم، وابلغ افراد عشيرتهم بهذا القرار، وارسلت حكومته قوات امن لتطويق الاضرحة، ومنع اي زوار من الوصول اليها.
لا نعرف لماذا يخاف السيد المالكي، وهو الذي جاء الى الحكم لاقامة نظام ديمقراطي يحترم الحريات العامة والشخصية، ومارس على مدى السنوات التسع الماضية عملية اجتثاث شرسة ودموية للنظام السابق، وكل منتسبي حزب البعث، الذي كان يحكم باسمه، لا نعرف لماذا يخاف رجل مثله من هياكل عظمية مدفونة تحت الارض، وهو الذي يملك نصف مليون جندي ورجل امن ويحظى بدعم امريكا وايران معا؟
الرئيس صدام حسين اعدم، ومن وقع قرار تنفيذ اعدامه السيد المالكي نفسه، بعد محاكمة مزورة، وقامت حكومته بتسليم جثمانه الى شيخ عشيرته من اجل دفنها، فلماذا يمنع ذووه، او محبوه، من زيارته حتى لو اختلفوا معه في الرأي ؟ أليس الف باء الديمقراطية، التي يتباهى بها العراق الجديد وحكامه احترام الرأي الآخر، ومشاعر قطاع عريض من مواطنيه؟ ثم ماذا يضير السيد المالكي لو زار افراد من عشيرة صدام او اقاربه قبره، وهم الذين فعلوا ويفعلون ذلك منذ سنوات، هل ستقوم القيامة، ام ستتفجر ثورة في العراق؟
الحاكم القوي العادل الواثق من نفسه، وحب الشعب له، لا يخاف من الاضرحة وساكنيها، ولا يخشى انصارهم، وافراد عشائرهم، ولكن يبدو ان السيد المالكي ليس من طينة هؤلاء، وما زالت تسيطر عليه عقدة الخوف، وتتحكم بقراراته، اليس هو من يطارد السيد طارق الهاشمي نائب الرئيس العراقي ويسعى لاعتقاله، اليس هو من افرغ العملية السياسية من كل معانيها وابعد وزراء الكتلة العراقية التي يتزعمها خصمه اياد علاوي، وكل من يختلفون معه في طريقة ادارته للبلاد، ومن منطلقات طائفية في معظم الاحيان؟
امر غريب جدا لا بد من التوقف عنده، وهو ان امريكا وحلفاءها، الذين ثبتت اركانهم في قمة السلطة، بعد ان ضمنت تدفق النفط، يجمعهم قاسم مشترك، وينتمون الى مدرسة الرعب من ضحاياهم نفسها حتى بعد اغتيالهم والتمثيل بجثثهم في معظم الاحيان تحت عناوين الديمقراطية واحترام حقوق الانسان.
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فها هي امريكا القوة الاعظم في التاريخ تخشى من جثمان الشيخ اسامة بن لادن، زعيم تنظيم 'القاعدة' وتقرر 'دفنه' في البحر، تحت ذريعة منع تحول قبره الى مزار لانصاره ومعتنقي فكر تنظيمه الاسلامي المتشدد، والاكثر من ذلك انها ما زالت تفرض الاعتقال القسري على زوجاته الثلاث وابنائه وبنات، وتمنعهم من الحديث الى اجهزة الاعلام، خشية كشفهم كيفية اغتياله وبما يتناقض مع الرواية الامريكية المفبركة، وحتى لا يعرف الرأي العام الاسلامي الحقيقة كاملة من كل جوانبها. فمن المؤسف ان هذه الادارة التي تتباهى بهذا الانجاز تدعي انها تقود العالم الحر، وان رسالتها نشر الديمقراطية وحرية التعبير واحترام حقوق الانسان ومعتقداته، وهناك قانون ثابت فيها ينص على حرية انتقال المعلومات دون عوائق وعدم حجبها عمن يطلبها.
لم يكن من قبيل الصدفة ان يحذو حذوها (اي امريكا) حلفاؤها الجدد في ليبيا في الخوف من الموتى، فقد حرصوا على دفن جثمان الزعيم الليبي معمر القذافي وابنه المعتصم، ووزير دفاعه ابو بكر يونس جابر في مكان مجهول في قلب الصحراء الليبية، بعد التمثيل بجثثهم والاعتداء عليها، اوبعضها، جنسيا، واقسم من نفذوا عملية الدفن في ليلة ظلماء ان لا يكشفوا السير مهما كانت الظروف والضغوط، وكأن هذا الكشف سيهدد مستقبل ليبيا وامنها ووحدتها الترابية.
الحكام الجدد الذين تنصّبهم امريكا، او يأتون عبر مشاريعها الديمقراطية المدعومة بآلتها العسكرية الجبارة، نتوقع ان يكونوا مختلفين عمن سبقوهم من الديكتاتوريين من حيث العدالة، والتسامح، والترفع عن النزعات الثأرية، واحترام حرمة الموت والاموات، مهما كانت جرائمهم، حتى يقدموا نموذجا مشرفا يؤكد لنا انهم يفتحون صفحة جديدة، بل مناقضة، لكل صفحات من سبقوهم من الديكتاتوريين، ولكن ما نراه حاليا مناقض لذلك تماما، نقولها وفي حلوقنا مرارة.
تعالوا نلقي نظرة سريعة على احوال البلدان التي 'حررتها'، او غيرت انظمتها القوات الامريكية، سواء بشكل مباشر، مثلما حصل في العراق، او عن طريق حلف الناتو، وحاملات طائراته، مثلما حدث في ليبيا، او في افغانستان المحتلة منذ عشر سنوات.
بالامس اصدرت منظمة 'هيومان رايتس ووتش' الامريكية تقريرا اكدت فيه ان العراق يعود الى الاستبداد، وفي طريقة للتحول الى دولة بوليسية ان لم يكن قد تحول فعلا، حيث يقمع النظام الحالي بقسوة حرية التعبير والتجمع، ويمارس الترهيب واحتجاز الناشطين والصحافيين، ويقيم سجونا سرية يمارس فيها التعذيب كسياسة رسمية.
وبالامس ايضا خرج علينا المستشار مصطفى عبد الجليل، رئيس المجلس الانتقالي الليبي بتصريحات حذر فيها من انزلاق بلاده الى هاوية بلا قاع، بعد ان اقتحم محتجون مقره في بنغازي وحطموه احتجاجا على فشل الحكومة، وتدهور الاوضاع الامنية وعدم توفير العلاج الكريم للجرحى، وعدم تطبيق الشريعة الاسلامية، ولولا تدخل كتائب امنية بسرعة لما نجا المستشار من غضبة الثوار الجدد على نظام حكمه ومجموعة المتسلقين الانتهازيين الملتفين حوله، حسب توصفهم، وقبلها بيومين حدث الشيء نفسه لنائبه عبد الحفيظ غوقة في جامعة بنغازي حيث طرده الطلاب شر طردة.
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ليبيا غابة بنادق، واصبحت مرتعا للميليشيات المتقاتلة، والجماعات الاسلامية المتشددة، ويكفي التذكير بان تنظيم 'القاعدة' الذي حرص اعضاء المجلس الانتقالي على نفي وجوده في بلادهم قد اختطف محافظا جزائريا في وضح النهار، واقتاده ومرافقيه الى الاراضي الليبية للمساومة عليه للافراج عن معتقلين من انصاره، اي تنظيم القاعدة، في السجون الجزائرية، ولا نعرف تفاصيل الصفقة التي ادت الى الافراج عنه.
هذا الكلام لن يعجب الكثيرين، او بالاحرى سيغضبهم في زمن التضليل والتعمية على الحقائق، تماما مثلما لم يعجب غيرهم كلام مماثل حول خطورة الاحتلال الامريكي للعراق والنتائج الاستراتيجية الكارثية التي ستترتب عليه، ولكن الحقيقة لا بد ان تقال، اذا اردنا ان ننهض ببلداننا ونقيم انظمة ديمقراطية حقيقية، تقود الى النهضة الشاملة التي تتطلع اليها شعوب المنطقة، وتحررنا من الاستعباد الامريكي.
من يخاف من القبور وساكنيها لا يمكن ان يؤسس لنظام ديمقراطي يقوم على المساواة والعدالة والحريات بأشكالها كافة، ويحقق لمواطنيه ما يتطلعون اليه من تقدم ورخاء اقتصادي، وتعليم متقدم، ونظام قضائي مستقل، وشفافية مطلقة، ومحاسبة مدعومة بالقانون والبرلمانات الحرة المنتخبة.
لسنا من زوار القبور والاضرحة، والاستثناء الوحيد هو قبر الرسول محمد(صلى الله عليه وسلم)، وصحابته الكرام (رضي الله عنهم)، ولم نكن يوما، ولن نكون، معجبين بالديكتاتوريين وانظمتهم القمعية، ولكننا كنا، وسنظل، ضد مشاريع العربدة والهيمنة الامريكية التي تريد سلب خيرات بلادنا، وتحويلنا الى سبي للاسرائيليين ، ولهذا وقفنا دائما في الخندق المقابل لهذه المشاريع، ومن يتواطأ معها.
عاجل .. عاجل .. وخطير للغاية – توجيهات رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي للاجتماع الخاص بالقادة الأمنيين الذي عقد في مقر حزب الدعوة / محافظة ديالى
شبكة المنصور
هدهد سليمان
أرسل ( الأسد السائح ) لهدهد سليمان محضر الاجتماع الذي كان حاضرا فيه والخاص بالقادة الأمنيين وبعض شيوخ العشائر , والمنعقد بتاريخ ( 18 / 12 / 2011 م ) في مقر حزب الدعوة في محافظة ديالى والذي ينص على ما يلي :
محضر اجتماع القادة الأمنيين لمحافظة ديالى في مقر حزب الدعوة :
1. تم عقد الاجتماع الخاص بالقادة الأمنيين في مقر حزب الدعوة /محافظة ديالى بتاريخ ( 18/12/ 2011م ) وقد حضره كل من :-
أ. قائد شرطة ديالى
ب. قائد عمليات ديالى
ج. قائد الفرقة الخامسة
هـ. عدد من آمري الألوية والوحدات في الفرقة الخامسة
و. السيد صادق الحسيني ( نائب رئيس مجلس محافظة ديالى )
س. مدير الشؤون في ديالى
ح. مدير الوكالة الوطنية ( العميد غانم )
ط. مدير مكافحة الإرهاب ( العميد فاروق )
ي. مدير الجرائم في ديالى
ك. مدير مرور ديالى
ل. رئيس مجلس إسناد ديالى
م. شيوخ عشائر ديالى وهم كل من :-
أولا . الشيخ بلاسم حميد ملا جواد التميمي
ثانيا. الشيخ رعد حميد ملا جواد التميمي
ثالثا . الشيخ مازن حميد ملا جواد التميمي
رابعا. الشيخ برهان الضاحي
خامسا . الشيخ حميد ألشمري
سادسا. الشيخ سعود احد شيوخ عشائر (بني طي )
سابعا . عدد من المختارين في ديالى
2. في بداية الاجتماع رحب مسؤول الجلسة السيد ( مثنى التميمي ) بالسادة الحضور وأشاد بمواقفهم الشجاعة في مقارعتهم فلول البعثيين والصدامين في ديالى والطائفيين في حكومة ديالى وفلول القاعدة , ثم قرأ توجيهات دولة السيد رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي مسؤول جناح حزب الدعوة في العراق التي تنص على ما يلي :
( إخواني أرى فيكم عيون الأرامل والمفجوعات واليتامى والبيوت المهدمة والحسينيات المهدمة في بعقوبة واقضيتها ونواحيها وقد علمت من إخواني بان هنالك مناطق في ديالى لن تصلها مجالس العزاء لأبي الأحرار الحسين (سلام الله عليه ) وقد وجهت المسؤولين الأمنيين بوضع في كل بيت من بيوت ديالى راية من رايات الحسين ومتابعة من يعبث بها ) , واليكم أهم توجيهات دولة رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي :-
(1) زيادة المراكز الأمنية في كل مناطق بعقوبة واقضيتها ونواحيها وخاصة المناطق التي توجد فيها شيعة قليلون .
(2) أمر سيادته بتفعيل جميع مذكرات القبض بحق المطلوبين من البعثيين وشيوخ العشائر المطلوبين امنيا" وقضائيا" وكل الجرائم .
(3) أمر بمتابعة الخارجين من السجون الأمريكية وإلقاء القبض عليهم وإعادتهم إلى السجون .
(4) متابعة البعثيين من المدنيين والعسكريين المتقاعدين وأصحاب النفوذ في المحافظة ومحاصرتهم وسجنهم أو إجبارهم للخروج خارج العراق .
(5) إعطاء مبالغ مجزية للمخبرين السريين وعيوننا في كافة مناطق محافظة ديالى .
(6) اجعلوا النقاط الأمنية بالقرب من المخبرين السريين والمختارين المواليين للعملية السياسية .
(7) على الأجهزة الأمنية أن تلبي جميع شكاوى الشيعة فورا .
(8) السماح بتسليح البيوت الشيعية وأي شخص قادر على حمل السلاح وإعطائهم إجازة فورا" .
(9) تفعيل العمل ألاستخباري وهذا الكلام موجه إلى (العميد غانم) اذ عليه واجب العمل بكل الوسائل لجلب العناصر المرتبطة بحزب البعث والقاعد ومتابعتهم يوميا" ويجب إرسال موقف يومي إلى مكتب القائد العام للقوات المسلحة.
(10) تبديل المختارين الذين لا يأتون بمعلومات عن البعثين والصدامين والقاعدة وإذا اضطر الأمر تهديدهم باسم القاعدة .
(11) الإكثار من التحري والمداهمات من قبل كل الأجهزة الأمنية والاستخبارية وخاصة في المناطق ذات الكثافة السنية .
(12) التظاهر في المداهمات بان تشمل كل فئات الشعب في الظاهر ولكن لا تشمل المكون الشيعي في المناطق السنية .
(13) متابعة العسكريين من الضباط في الجيش والشرطة من الذين ليس لهم ولائهم للحكومة إما عزلهم أو إحالتهم إلى المحاكم أو نقلهم إلى خارج محافظة ديالى .
(14) متابعة أعضاء مجلس محافظة ديالى والمحافظ ونوابه وتفعيل كل مذكرات إلقاء القبض .
(15) الفدرالية خط احمر بالنسبة للحكومة ولا نقبل بها مهما كلف الأمر وسوف نرسل لكم التوجيهات والتعليمات المستقبلية بصدد ذلك، وسيتم استدعاء كل المسؤولين الأمنيين إلى بغداد حول ذلك .
(16) توزيع مبلغ قدره (15) خمسة عشر مليون دينار لكل شخص يقوم بمجلس عزاء الحسين وخاصة في المناطق السنية وحمايتهم من البعثيين والصدامين والقاعدة وتخصص نقاط أمنية بالقرب من مجالس العزاء .
(17) استخدام العنصر النسوي في الحصول على معلومات عن البعثيين والصدامين والعناصر المؤثرة في شارع ديالى .
(18) استخدام كاميرات الموبايل أو التسجيلات حول ما يدور من كلام في المقاهي والجلسات الخاصة حتى لو اقتضى الأمر الإغراء بالنساء في سبيل الحصول على المعلومات .
(19) استخدام (الشرطيات) في العلاقات الجنسية مع الضباط المتقاعدين وشيوخ العشائر وكذلك البعثيين للحصول على المعلومات حول آماكن تواجد العناصر الإرهابية ومكان اجتماعات البعثيين في ديالى .
(20) لدينا معلومات مؤكدة بان هناك اجتماعات بعثية وصداميه مستمرة وتم إلقاء القبض على بعض القيادات المدنية في ديالى وقد اعترفوا بنشاط البعث في ديالى وسوف نتابعهم أينما كانوا وفي أي وقت وهم تحت المراقبة .
(21) توجيه كافة أصحاب الأموال في ديالى والمحافظات الأخرى بشراء العقارات والعمارات والبيوت ومن المكون الشيعي لكسر الذريعة لدى المكون السني في ديالى وهذا يجب أن يتم بأسرع وقت ممكن .
(22) توجيه كافة التجار وخاصة من المكون الشيعي بالسيطرة على كافة التجارة في ديالى من المواد المستوردة والمصدرة ووضع العقبات أمام التجار من المكون السني وتوجيه التهم إليهم بالإرهاب أو مساعدة الإرهاب .
(23) على دائرة تسجيل العقاري في محافظة ديالى القيام بتوزيع قطع أراضي إلى المتضررين الشيعة وشمولهم بالقروض والمنح فورا" .
(24) توجيه كافة الأجهزة الأمنية في ديالى والحكومية وشيوخ العشائر الموالية ألينا وكذلك الوقف الشيعي ببناء حسينيات مقابل كل جامع من المكون الثاني ووضع نقاط أمنية بالقرب منها , وهذه مهمة جدا" وعلى الوقف الشيعي (المرجعية ) العمل به فورا".
(25) الإكثار من السلع الإيرانية في ديالى والبيع بأرخص الأثمان .
(26) إيصال الوقود إلى العوائل الشيعية والمواكب الحسينية بأسرع وقت .
(27) تبليغ كافة الأجهزة الأمنية والحكومية والمختارين بتدقيق كافة العوائل المهجرة وبيان أسباب التهجير.
(28) كل شخص سواء" كان عسكري أو شرطة أو مدني عليه القيام بعلاقات جيدة جدا مع أشخاص المكون السني من خلال تسهيل أمورهم الإدارية لدى دوائر الدولة وتبليغ كافة المسؤولين حول ذلك ومن بعد كسبهم إلى حزب الدعوة حتى لو اقتضى الأمر تعيينهم في أجهزة الشرطة أو الجيش آو أي وظيفة مدنية .
(29) على كافة القادة الأمنيين من ضباط الجيش أو الشرطة أو الأجهزة الأمنية التحرك على الضباط والجنود من الجيش والشرطة للمكون السني وتشجيعهم إلى الانتماء لحزب الدعوة وفي حالة رفضهم يتم إما إقصائهم أو توجيه بعض التهم الإرهابية لهم وهذا من أهم الأمور المهمة في المرحلة المقبلة .
(30) هذه الأمور التي تم طرحها في هذا الاجتماع سوف يتم متابعة تنفيذها من قبل كافة تنظيمات الائتلاف الوطني في ديالى وكذلك مكتب رئيس الوزراء وفي حالة تلكأ أي جهة سوف يتم محاسبة الجهة المقصرة فورا".
(31) أكد الحاضرون بأنهم سوف يكونون العين الساهرة في ديالى لنصرة الأقلية المظلومة من المكون الشيعي وسوف نبسط الأمن بكل الوسائل المتاحة وإننا إنشاء الله قادرون على تنفيذ ما يطلبه دولة رئيس الوزراء الدكتور نوري المالكي ولا نسمح للبعثيين والصداميين والقاعدة من العبث بأمن ديالى وترويع أهلها فنحن قادرون على تنفيذ كل هذه المطالب بأسرع وقت .
(32) المعوقات التي يعاني منها حزب الدعوة في ديالى فهي :-
أ – صعوبة الحصول على مذكرات الاعتقال من قبل بعض القضاة بحق بعض الناس .
ب – كثير من المعلومات تصل إلى الشخص المطلوب قبل إلقاء القبض عليه .
ج – كثرة التوسط على المجرمين والموقوفين من بعض الضباط والشيوخ السنة مما يدفعهم على دفع أموال لإخراجهم من السجن .
د – تم رفع أسماء بعض الضباط والمراتب من الجيش والشرطة لغرض نقلهم أو إقصائهم أو إحالتهم إلى القضاء من المكون السني ومضى فترة طويلة على ذلك دون إجابة .
هـ – يجب زيادة عدد الشرطة في ديالى وكذلك الأجهزة الأمنية لغرض ضبط الشارع في ديالى .
هذا وقد شكر مسؤول الجلسة ( مثنى التميمي ) جميع الحاضرين متمنيا" لهم الموفقية في عملهم داخل هذه المحافظة الملتهبة والتي عبث فيها الإرهاب ودمر بناها التحتية .
للعلم رجاءا .. مع تحيات هدهد سليمان من قلب المنطقة الخضراء .
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