The Wall Street Journal-20080114-Bush- on Mideast Trip- Shifts Focus to -Justice-
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Bush, on Mideast Trip, Shifts Focus to 'Justice'
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- President Bush offered a cautious critique of political repression in the Middle East, reassuring nervous Arab leaders of continuing U.S. support while calling political and social change inevitable.
"The best way to defeat the extremists in your midst is by opening your societies, and trusting in your people, and giving them a voice in their nation," Mr. Bush said to Gulf Arab leaders in the major speech of his nine-day Middle East trip.
While Mr. Bush continued to tout democracy, he put more emphasis on the need for "justice" and broader societal changes. The rhetorical shift, while subtle, helps align the White House's agenda more closely with the changes that are under way in the oil-rich Gulf states. Boosted by their soaring oil revenue, many are investing heavily in education, infrastructure and social programs. At the same time, there is relatively little progress on the political front. Despite isolated changes, for instance in Kuwait, most Gulf Arab leaders still govern as hereditary and near-absolute monarchs.
"We believe that helping to build a strong regional economy is our best opportunity for lasting social stability in the Middle East," wrote Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, in a commentary in The Wall Street Journal's opinion pages Saturday, during the Bush visit to the Middle East. "We don't have political ambitions," he continued.
The speech came as Mr. Bush barnstorms through the region that originally gave rise to his "freedom agenda" following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S. Mr. Bush often has blamed the rise of militant Islamists in part on repressive political cultures in the Gulf region, and he has called repeatedly for change.
On the current trip -- his first major tour of the Middle East as president -- he is also hoping to drum up support for an Israeli- Palestinian peace deal and to strengthen U.S. security ties in the Middle East, while convincing Arab allies that the U.S. still takes the threat from a resurgent Iran seriously.
Mr. Bush said yesterday that the violent extremism that plagues the region is "embodied by the regime that sits in Tehran," which he also blamed for the "repression and economic hardship" of Iranians.
Mr. Bush's push for democracy in the region has been treated skeptically here, after setbacks for democracy in Iraq and in Lebanon, another early centerpiece of the administration's "freedom agenda." "[Regarding] the whole trip, the sense in the region is that it's coming too late," said Christian Koch, director of international studies at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai.
Mr. Bush's tone yesterday often sounded cautious. That is likely a reflection not only of setbacks in Iraq, but also of the Mideast region's growing economic importance to the U.S. as a financial partner, in addition to its longtime role as an energy supplier. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority bought a $7.5 billion stake in Citigroup Inc., for example, while Borse Dubai, a stock-exchange holding company, has signed a deal to buy about 20% of Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.
In Abu Dhabi, the incongruous setting for Mr. Bush's address on democracy was an auditorium in what is reputed to be the world's costliest hotel, the Emirates Palace, built by the government for an estimated $3 billion. The hotel includes 86,114 square feet of gold leaf and more than one million square feet of marble.
Without identifying any countries by name, Mr. Bush criticized "setbacks" that various countries in the region have seen. White House officials didn't deny that Mr. Bush was taking aim at, among others, the regimes of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the two countries left on his itinerary. During its 2005 election, Egypt imprisoned Ayman Nour, the only person running against President Hosni Mubarak. Saudi Arabia recently has jailed a series of government critics.
"You cannot build trust when you hold an election where opposition candidates find themselves harassed or in prison," Mr. Bush said. "You cannot expect people to believe in the promise of a better future when they are jailed for peacefully petitioning their government. And you cannot stand up a modern and confident nation when you do not allow people to voice their legitimate criticisms."
But in general, Mr. Bush praised the region's progress on the political front while overlooking some notable shortcomings. For instance, Mr. Bush applauded his host country's recent shift to electing some members of the U.A.E.'s Federal National Council as well as its tolerance of non-Muslims and appointment of women to ministerial posts. The council is a largely consultative body, and the recent election was conducted by voters who were selected by the emirs -- the rulers -- of each of the seven states that make up the U.A.E.
A broader problem in advancing Mr. Bush's hopes for democracy is that many Gulf Arab countries, desperate for workers, now have hugely diverse populations, often including sizable Shiite minorities, while their ruling families are typically Sunni. In Bahrain, for example, where Mr. Bush and King Hamad were entertained on Saturday with a traditional sword dance, Shiites from elsewhere in the region comprise some 70% of the population. Non-Kuwaiti citizens outnumber Kuwaitis by 2-to-1. In the UAE, only about 15% to 20% of all residents are UAE citizens.
