Opinion by John Avlon
NB: As to why this political analyst fails to mention the glaring assaults on global democracy by the USA and UK, is something only he can answer. And as regards the fate of democracy in his own country, supposedly the leader of the ‘free world’, the less said the better. There’s a passing mention of Trump’s negative trust levels, but really, is that all you can say about a rabid racist who instigated a violent and murderous attack on his own country’s institutions; and the Republican Party’s sustained attempt to deprive entire sections of the population of their right to vote? The US Supreme Court is behaving as if it wants to install a Catholic theocracy in black robes. Have you forgotten that Iranian tyranny is rooted in the western instigated coup against Mossadegh in 1953?
In fact from Vietnam to Iran to Chile to Gautemala, and the military adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq, US-led Western militarism has caused utter misery and disaster including displacement for millions. Please read this book on CIA complicity in the global heroin trade. Has there ever been any concern in Western strategic circles about Saudi Arabian despotism? About arms sales to the most disgusting tyrants? For God’s sake speak the truth for once, stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes, and stop befooling yourselves. Even now CNN is running a paid propaganda insert slandering Greta Thunberg for her life-style. Why?
You guys are literally stoned on your own arrogance – even murderous attacks on your own elected representatives doesn’t give you pause. Many Americans are fighting back, but you sir, are not helping with propaganda about how the USA is siding with the angels in ‘the global conflict between democracy and autocracy’. The reverse is the case, if people value democracy and fight for it, it not because of the US of A. And a half-truth is a lie. DS
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We’ve gotten used to headlines predicting the demise of democracy. While the threats we face are real, a glance around the globe shows that it’s autocrats who are in retreat right now. Connect the dots between the demonstrations in China, the months of protests in Iran and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s failures after his invasion of Ukraine and you’ll see that autocrats are on the backfoot as we come to the end of 2022.
The pendulum seems to be swinging back toward democracy. It’s a welcome reminder that the people ultimately have the power and that, for all our imperfections, democracies have more durable strength because of our liberty, diversity and creativity. It’s time to restore our confidence in this global conflict between democracy and autocracy.
A year ago, many people were predicting the opposite trajectory for our time, with The Atlantic capturing the bleak assessment on its cover with the headline, “The Bad Guys Are Winning.” But life can come at you pretty fast, as Chinese President Xi Jinping has learned….
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/01/opinions/democracy-autocracy-russia-china-iran-avlon/index.html
Mohammed Hanif: The rest of the world has had it with US presidents, Trump or otherwise
The joint CIA – MI-6 instigated coup in Iran that changed the Middle East, and the cover-up
Eve Ottenberg: Abolish the CIA
Book review: Alfred McCoy on the Politics of Heroin & CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade
After the truth-shower 