Exporting Democracy

Well, there are some interesting statements out of Kazakhstan.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has warned of the destabilising effects of importing Western-style democracy too rapidly to central Asia.

Speaking at the opening of a summit on foreign investment in Almaty, he said democracy should be learned over time.

His remarks follow a wave of popular uprisings in the region, including neighbouring Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Regional leaders have accused the US or unnamed foreign powers of encouraging the protest movements.

I have no doubt that leaders like Nazarbayev are scared senseless at the prospect of being deposed in free elections. To be honest, I can't say that I entirely disagree with him. The Coalition's work in Afghanistan and Iraq has been very successful, but it is a slow process. There are a lot of other elements, like education and an inherent love of freedom that have to be encouraged simultaneously, and some of these elements take a while to take root.

Democracy should be encouraged, and it should be encouraged continuously and substantially, particularly in Central Asia and the Middle East. The people want it, and they're willing to fight for it. The process should be slow, but it should proceed, instead of being blocked by autocrats.