What Does The New Arab Revolt Mean For The Western World

Daniel Pipes writes an interesting article today regarding the conflict that is exploding and intensifying in the Middle East and Africa.  I'd highly suggest you read it:  http://bigpeace.com/dpipes/2011/03/01/the-new-arab-revolt/

The following is my reply to his ideas.  I will add Dr. Pipes' commentary if he responds.

Your optimism is encouraging Dr. Pipes.  And your thought that "Conspiracy theories have been the refuge of decayed rulers, not exuberant crowds." seems eloquently self-evident.  But I'm concerned about what happens a couple of moves into the game.

Would you concede it as likely that radical interests are fueling this general status of revolt?  The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. are far are in a far more advantageous place from which to achieve their strategic goals once the tyrannical rulers are removed.  Isn't this a replay of 70's Iran where the liberals were instrumental in overthrowing The Shah?

Once the "kumbayah's" died down, and The Shah was in exile, the theocracy seized power.  Wouldn't the modern day equivalent result in a more unified, anti-West "Axis of Islamofaciscm"?

While I can't imagine any liberty-concious, freedom-loving individual would support the Quadaffi's of the Middle East, wouldn't a push (from the EU, UN, NATO, US) toward a more orderly transition to regionally realistic democracy be advantageous to everyone?  My fear is that the Western "powers that be" will naively support and champion the cause of individual freedom, only to have the end result of a far greater global menace, and a drastically worse human condition for the so-called newly free.

I explored this last month when I wrote:

http://rwreagan1.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-powerful-government-less-freedom.html

Please allow me to sincerely and humbly submit that your knowledge of the region, and geopolitics in general, is far greater than mine.  But I would appreciate your thoughts (or those of anyone willing to offer their insight) regarding what will happen when the tyrants have been toppled.  Are we saving ourselves from drowning only to be burned at the stake?