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Source: http://www.metimes.com/Editorial/2008/04/07/editorial_democracy_and_mideast_headcount/4596/
Democracy and the Mideast
[Middle East Times] Editorial - Of the 22 members of the Arab League, hardly one can truly claim to practice democracy as it is understood by the West. Eight of the 22 - Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - have hereditary rulers; monarchies where the power passes from father to son, or brother to brother. Several have experienced military coups. Perhaps one simple guideline for judging a democracy is the number of living former presidents a country still has. You'd be hard pressed finding more than one or two.