Two down, which one is next to go?

There is a lesson to be learned. The concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is home grown.  It is impossible to export Western- style democracy abroad.  The war in Iraq is a good example.  Rumsfeld, Cheney, and former President Bush, Jr. should be taking notes right now and adding excerpts in their newly published books.  Regime changes must be decided by the very own citizens of the countries affected and not by outsiders - at least, not anymore.

Who would have ever thought that these changes would happen in the Middle East today?  Governments and pundits all over the world are in shock with the tide of events that are radically changing the political landscapes in the region.  Everyone is watching carefully the transition of power- some with optimism but others with fear.  For centuries, change in this volatile region has been risky.  There are plenty of Islamic fundamentalist groups ready to seize power and take over.  And this would be an undesirable direction that can hamper the efforts that have been started by the people whose main obvious desire is to participate in the democratic process that may ultimately lead to happier lives and an equitable distribution of economic prosperity. 

Dêmos and krátos, the Greek words, respectively, for "people" and "rulers".  Can this system work today in the Muslim world?  First, in the West, we all take pride in a constitution where the unalienable rights of people are essential to their existence.  Second, a system of government with separation of powers and check-and-balance principle from its different branches (legislative, judicial, and executive) are the key and undeniable ingredients in a social order.  And third, the separation of state and church, in my opinion, is of utmost importance for a progressive society.   Science and math are equally, if not, more essential for the growth of every nation.  Failure to enforce secularism is one of the pitfalls of a failed democracy – especially in the Muslim world.  When a thousand-year old religious scripture becomes the guiding principle of how society should be governed and how the women should be treated, we know that this could be problematic. 

In general, democracy comes to life by fighting for it, and this impetus comes from the people themselves. We have witnessed the dramatic dismantling of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe and the dismemberment of the once-mighty Soviet Union two decades ago and now we are again watching the same domino effect in the Middle East. Two down, which one is next to go?  Things are heating up in Bahrain, the same thing goes for Libya, Yemen, and even Iran.  From Tunisia to Egypt, there has been a sea-change of guards that is just waiting to happen elsewhere in the other parts of the Muslim world.