Take a good look around the world. Pretty soon, the world situations we've come to recognize and known could exist only in the history book. The winds of change have already begun to blow, and they are leaving some drastic and unexpected changes in their wake. The first breezes started with the democratization of Afghanistan and Iraq. The weather turned downright blustery with the successful challenging of Presidential election results by Ukrainian Prime Minister-elect Victor Yushchenko. Now they have hit truly gale-force after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri.
Lebanese citizens have decided that living in a country occupied by Syria is something they cannot put up with any longer. They took to the streets in massive pro-democracy and anti-Syrian demonstrations, which led to Syria's promise to withdraw its troops and the total resignation of the pro-Syrian Lebanese government.
These events (along with a newly free and democratic Iraq on its other border) led Syria to hand over Saddam Hussein's half-brother to Iraqi security forces, whom many believe was helping pay for terrorism in Iraq from Syria. It is probable that Syria had known about his location for some time. Syrian officials must be truly unnerved by what many reporters have dubbed the "fall of the Arab's Berlin Wall" to begin cooperating with Iraqi and U.S. forces. While at this point their cooperation is little more than a gesture, it is certainly a beginning.
Looking elsewhere around the world, Palestine and Israel have signed a cease-fire for the first time in four years. This time the Palestinian government headed by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas seems genuinely interested in enforcing that cease fire, firing a swath of cabinet members who refused to crack down on violence by terrorist groups who ignored the cease-fire.
If there is one dark spot in what would otherwise be a fairly bright outlook based on recent events, it is Russia. Vladimir Putin seems to be reverting to his old KGB days more and more, further cracking down on Russian media, attempting to reassert state control over vital industries and selling nuclear fuel to Iran. Putin at least has backed down from a promise to begin selling ground-to-air missiles to Syrian.
But even as Russia itself seems to be slipping away from democracy, good news comes out of former Soviet republics. Recent parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have fallen under scrutiny as Western observers questioned the legitimacy of the votes. Inspired by results in the Ukraine, protests have already begun against governments who are kept in power mainly because of their ties to Russia. Both of these countries are of strategic importance to the United States, and for the people of these countries to stand up and announce that they have a will separate than that of Russia is encouraging.
No one can say for certain now where any of this will lead. Hopefully it will lead to greater freedom and democratization throughout the Middle East and elsewhere. All we can do is stand by and watch, and help where we can. As Bob Dylan would say, "The times, they are a'changin."
Write to Tim at Redbaron.strikesagain@gmail.com
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