OTHER VIEWS
Where Idealism Works
0
ne would forgive Natan
Sharansky, the former Soviet
dissident and political prisoner,
if he suffered from a degree of cyni-
cism and pessimism.
Nine years in a Soviet prison could
make one look at life through dark
lenses, decrying mankind and the
innate evil of the human spirit.
Yet, Sharansky proves once more, as
he did in his memoirs, Fear No Evil,
that he remains an optimist, under-
standing and preaching the value of
democracy and freedom to the future
of the world.
His latest book, The Case for
Democracy: The Power of Freedom to
Overcome ijiranny 6 Terror should be
required reading not only in schools
and universities, but also for any pub-
lic official who aspires to office any-
where in the world.
With logic and passion, Sharansky,
currently Israel's minister for
Jerusalem and diaspora affairs, makes
the case that democracy and freedom
will always defeat tyranny. A free soci-
ety is inherently stronger than what
he calls a "fear society" and it is a les-
son not yet learned by the world's
decision makers.
Some may call Sharansky, who has
held a number of positions in Israel's
government, including deputy prime
minister, idealistic in a world that
often, if not always, works on the
principle of realpolitik. But it is
Bed Falbaum, author and former polit-
ical reporter, is a Farmington Hills pub-
lic relations executive and teaches jour-
nalism part time at Wayne State
University in Detroit.
realpolitik and not idealism that is
at fault.
With devastating analysis, he takes
to task former Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger for his policy of
detente (a "foolish and misguided
policy"), which held that it was in the
interest of the U.S. to work coopera-
tively with Russia, then the only other
superpower in the world.
Sharansky chides President George
H. Bush for refusing to pressure
Russia on human rights in exchange
for what the former president viewed
as political stability.
He takes on expert after expert who
maintained that Russia could not be
toppled by urging or forcing it to
change its internal policies.
Some of these experts, including the
late Arkansas Sen. J. William
Fulbright, a foreign relations expert,
predicted only months before its
demise that the Soviet Union would
continue to thrive.
One of his heroes, understandably,
is the late Washington Sen. Henry
"Scoop" Jackson, whose Jackson-
Vanik amendment linked most-
favored-nation status, under which
countries received preferential terms
of trade with America, to a foreign
government's protection of its citizens'
right to emigrate. It came at a time
when the Soviet Union had slammed
shut its doors to Russian Jews who
wanted to immigrate to Israel.
Jackson helped expose the weakness-
es of the Soviet Union and it was
President Reagan, he writes, who with
his uncompromising pressure on
Russia — which included defense
buildups — that applied the fatal blow.
Take On Tyrants
to countries that have never
known it.
But Sharansky's overall
"Worse," he writes, "the
message is that the world has
failure to exercise that power
always made a mistake in
undermines the cause of free-
placating dictators when these
dom."
tyrants should be challenged
Citing the failure of Israel
whenever and wherever they
to
achieve peace with the
assume power.
BERL
Palestinians, Sharansky
"A country that does not
FAL BAUM
applies the same principle,
respect the rights of its own
stating that from Oslo to
Community
people will not respect the
Camp David, negotiators
Perspective
rights of its neighbors,"
like Dennis Ross (whom he
Sharansky writes, quoting his
calls a friend) failed to
mentor Andrei Sakharov.
demand that Palestinian
He proves his point by pointing not
leader
Yasser
Arafat reform his govern-
only to Russia, which ultimately col-
ment, but instead always worked to
lapsed, but also Hitler's Germany and
strengthen him.
other despotic governments that ulti-
No one, whether the Israeli govern-
mately failed when challenged by free-
ment was headed by Rabin, Netanyahu,
dom and democracy.
Barak, Peres, or Sharon, demanded that
He also has little patience for those
Arafat
improve the lives of his own peo-
who argue that some countries, given
ple
before
negotiating peace.
their history, are simply not ready for
The
irony
in this is that Sharansky
democracy or freedom. Given their
is considered by many on the Left as
histories, democracy or freedom can-
a hard-line conservative although
not be imposed on these people, the
he espouses policies and beliefs of a
skeptics maintain.
human rights advocate . that would
Naysayers Wrong
improve the lives of the Palestinians.
Sharansky's case is clear, incisive
Sharansky writes the pessimists did
and
strong. It is, obviously, timely
not believe that democracy would
not only because of the Iraq War
work in post-war Japan or Germany
but also because of issues relating
or such former Communist countries
to North Korea, China and the
as Czechoslovakia but he said the
Arab world.
naysayers were wrong.
Is Sharansky a bit too idealistic?
Further, he argues there are many -
Perhaps.
who believe that democracy cannot and
But given the choice between free-
should not be imposed on Arab nations
dom
and democracy or policies of
that have no history of freedom.
detente which, at times, support man's
Those skeptics who maintain that a
inhumanity to man, the decisions
fear society cannot be changed into a
free society underestimate the power of those in power should make seems all
the free world to help bring democracy to obvious. 1-1
The fight is not over by a long shot,
but that doesn't mean we can't feel joy
about a year in which the deadly head
of Hamas, paraplegic baby-killer Sheik
Yassin was blown to bits and
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the
father of terrorism, died in a French
hospital.
Yay!
The season has changed to a season
of hope.
The winter rains have begun to fall
in abundance, watering our grape
vines, our olive, date, pomegranate,
apple, plum and almond trees —
promising a summer of cool, delicious
fruits. Our hotels are full of tourists
again and our economy is
Shimon Peres and a former
climbing out of the doldrums.
prime minister, the much
There is still too much
despised Ehud Barak, at each
poverty, too many unem-
other's throats. This gives me
ployed and too many poor
hope that the architects of
children, especially in
Oslo, who have never taken
Jerusalem. There is still politi-
responsibility for using
cal turmoil over Prime
Israelis as laboratory rats for a
Minister Ariel Sharon's disen-
dangerous experiment that
NA OMI
gagement plan that would
resulted in a thousand dead
RAG EN
destroy decades of construc-
and
thousands more horribly
Spe cial
tion as well as government-
injured,
may soon be relegat-
Comm entary
sponsored and encouraged set-
ed to history books where
tlement activity in Gush Katif and
they can do no more harm.
other Jewish areas.
Hopefully, there will be new elections
But politically, the Left is in
where the people of Israel can make
disarray, the Labor Party stalwarts like the important decisions about their
Season Of Hope
Jerusalem
oming back from a long trip
allows you the distance you
need to view things more
objectively. I returned to an Israel of
bandaged wounds that are beginning
to heal. Arafat is dead and that in itself
is a cause for celebration. Like the
Munchkins, we are happy to get rid of
the wicked witch, even though other
wicked witches remain (Hamas,
Islamic Jihad, PLO, Tanzim).
C
Naomi Ragen is a New York City
author who made aliyah in 1972. Her
e-mail address is
nragen@netvision.net.il
12/17
2004
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