The End of History

The Atlantic recently asked a group of foreign-policy authorities about the prospects for democracy around the world.

An example of the survey:

"Worldwide, is liberal democracy stronger or weaker than it was in 2000?

73% WEAKER

“The third wave of democracy stalled in the new millennium, partly as a result of the successes in the previous decade and a half (notably in Europe and Latin America) but partly as well because of flawed U.S. policies—not least by giving democracy promotion a bad name.”

“The deepening of democracy in Mexico has been impressive. But China remains firmly authoritarian, Russia and Venezuela lead the list of countries that have embraced strongmen, and the democratic revolutions in Georgia, Lebanon, and Ukraine have foundered.”

“No country wants to look like Iraq.”

Read the full piece here.

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Robert Fisk's predictions for the Middle East in 2013

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#1 Prize for a bizarre story.....and lying!

No comment called for in this piece from CommonDreams: Another young black man: The strange sad case of 21-year-old Chavis Carter. Police in Jonesboro, Arkansas stopped him and two friends, found some marijuana, searched put Carter, then put him handcuffed behind his back into their patrol car, where they say he shot himself in the head with a gun they failed to find. The FBI is investigating. Police Chief Michael Yates, who stands behind his officers' story, says in an interview that the death is "definitely bizarre and defies logic at first glance." You think?

Mahler's Prodigal Son

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